"DT73\ 


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LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


THE  LAST  JOURNALS 

OF 

MYID  UYITOSTONE, 

IlSr  CENTRAL  AFRICA. 
FRoii  EiGHTEE!)  mmm  m  mn-?m  to  iils  death. 

CONTINUED  BT  A  NARRATITE  OP 

HIS  LAST  MOMENTS  AND  SUFFERINGS, 

OBTAINKD  FROM 

HIS  FAITHFUL  SERVANTS  CHUMA  AND  SUST, 
By  HORACE  WALLER,  RR.G.S., , 

RECTOU  OF  TWYWELL,  NORTHAMPTON. 
WITH  POllTHA  IT,  MAPS,  AM)  I L  LU  ST  R  A  T 1 0  X  H. 


NEW  YORK: 
H  A  1{  r  K  U  &   n  K  ()  T  II  E  K  S,-  P  U  HL  I  S  II  K  U  S, 

F  U  A  N  K  I.  I  N     8  q  i;  A  R  U. 

1  8  7  5. 


INTRODUCTION. 


In  the  midst  of  the  universal  sorrow  caused  by  the  intelligence  that  Dr. 
Livingstone  had  lost  his  life  at  the  fartlicst  point  to  wliich  he  had  penetra- 
ted in  his  search  for  the  true  sources  of  the  Nile,  a  faint  hope  was  indulged 
that  some  of  his  journals  might  survive  the  disaster :  this  hope,  I  rejoice  to 
say,  has  been  realized  beyond  the  most  sanguine  expectations. 

It  is  due,  in  the  first  place,  to  his  native  attendants,  whose  faithfulness  has 
placed  his  last  writings  at  our  disposal,  and  also  to  the  reader,  before  he 
launches  forth  upon  a  series  of  travels  and  scientific  geographical  records 
of  the  most  extraordinary  character,  to  say  that  in  the  following  narrative 
of  seven  years'  continuous  work  and  new  discovery  no  break  whatever  occurs. 

We  have  not  to  deplore  tlie  loss,  by  accident  or  carelessness,  of  a  single 
entry,  from  the  time  of  Livingstone's  departure  from  Zanzibar,  in  the  begin- 
ning of  1800,  to  the  day  when  his  note-book  dropped  from  his  hand,  in  the 
village  of  Ilala,  at  the  end  of  April,  1873. 

I  trust  it  will  not  be  uninteresting  if  I  preface  the  history  with  a  few  words 
on  the  nature  of  these  journals  and  writings  as  they  have  come  to  hand  from 
Centnil  Africa. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  when  Mr.  Stanley  returned  to  England  in  1872, 
Dr.  Livingstone  intrusted  to  his  care  a  very  large  Letts's  diary,  sealed  up 
and  cortsigned  to  the  safe-keeping  of  his  daughter,  Miss  Agnes  Livingstone. 
l'|)()n  the  conlirmation  of  the  worst  news,  this  book  was  examined  and  found 
to  contain  a  considerable  portion  of  the  notes  which  her  father  made  during 
his  travels  previous  to  the  time  of  Mr.  Stanley's  meeting  him. 

Tlic  doctor's  custom  was  always  to  have  metallic  note-books  in  use,  in 
which  the  day's  jottings  were  recorded.  When  time  and  opportunity 
served,  the  larger  volume  was  posted  up  with  scrupulous  care. 

It  seems,  however,  that  in  the  last  three  or  four  years  of  his  life  this  ex- 
cellent rule  had  to  give  way  to  the  toils  of  travel  and  the  exhaustion  of 
most  distressing  illnesses.  While  in  the  :\Iaiiyucma  country  he  ran  out  of 
note-ixioks,  ink,  and  pencils,  and  had  to  resort  to  shifts  which  at  first  made 
It  a  very  debatable  point  whether  the  most  diligent  attempt  at  decipher- 
ing would  succeed  after  all.  Such  pocket-books  as  remained  at  this  period 
of  his  travels  were  utilized  to  the  last  inch  of  pajier.  In  some  of  them  we 
lind  lunar  observations,  the  names  of  rivers,  and  the  heights  of  hills  advan 
cing  toward  the  middle  from  one  end,  while  iVoni  the  other  llic  itinerary 


4 


INTRODUCTION. 


grows  day  by  day,  interspersed  wdtli  map  routes  of  the  march,  botanical 
notes,  and  carefully  made  drawings.  But  in  the  mean  time  the  middle  por- 
tion of  the  book  was  filling  up  witli  calculations,  private  memoranda,  words 
intended  for  vocabularies,  and  extracts  from  boolis,  while  here  and  there 
the  stain  of  a  pressed  flower  causes  indistinctness;  yet  the  thread  of  the 
narrative  runs  throughout.  Nothing  but  his  invariable  habit  of  constantly 
repeating  the  month  and  year  obviates  hopeless  confusion.  Nor  is  this  all ; 
for  pocket-books  gave  out  at  last,  and  old  news2)apers,  yellow  with  African 
damp,  were  sewn  together,  and  his  notes  were  written  across  the  type  with 
a  substitute  for  ink  made  from,  the  juice  of  a  tree.  To  Miss  Livingstone 
and  to  the  Rev.  C.  A.  Alington  I  am  very  much  indebted  for  help  in  the 
laborious  task  of  deciphering  this  portion  of  the  doctor's  journals.  Tlieir 
knowledge  of  his  handwriting,  their  perseverance,  coupled  with  good  eyes 
and  a  strong  magnifying-glass,  at  last  made  their  task  a  complete  success. 

In  comparing  this  great  mass  of  material  with  the  journal  brought  home 
by  Mr.  Stanley,  one  finds  that  a  great  deal  of  most  intei-esting  matter  can  be 
added.  It  would  seem  that  in  the  hurry  of  writing  and  coj^ying  dispatch- 
es previous  to  his  companion's  departure,  the  doctor  rapidly  entered  uj)  as 
much  from  his  note-books  as  time  and  space  permitted. 

Most  fortunately,  he  still  carried  the  greater  part  of  these  original  rotes 
till  the  time  of  his  death,  so  that  they  were  forthcoming  when  his  effects 
were  subsequently  saved. 

This  brings  us  to  the  second  installment  of  the  journals,  for  we  have  thus 
acknowledged  the  first  to  have  reached  us  on  Mr.  Stanley's  return. 

When  the  battered  tin  traveling-case,  which  was  ■with  Livingstone  to  the 
last,  was  opened  at  the  Foreign  Office  in  the  spring  of  this  year,  not  only 
were  these  valuable  papers  disclosed  which  I  have  mentioned,  but  Jt  was 
found  also  that  Livingstone  had  kept  a  copious  journal  during  his  stay  at 
Unyanyemb6  in  some  copy-books,  and  that  when  liis  stock  of  note-books 
was  replenished  a  daily  record  of  his  subsequent  travels  had  l)een  made. 

It  was  with  fear  and  trembling  that  one  looked  to  see  whether  all  had 
been  saved  or  only  part,  but  with  satisfaction  and  thankfulness  I  have  sub- 
sequently di.scovered  that  his  men  preserved  every  single  line,  besides  his 
maps,  which  now  come  to  light  for  the  first  time. 

Thus  much  on  the  material  of  tlie  diaries.  It  remains  to  say  a  few  words 
on  the  map  whicli  accompanies  these  j^ournals.  It  has  been  compiled  from 
Dr.  Livingstone's  original  drawings  and  note -books,  with  the  corrections 
and  additions  he  made  from  time  to  time  as  tlic  work  of  cx])loration  pro- 
gressed, and  the  details  of  jihysical  geograjihy  became  clearer  to  him.  The 
com])il('r,  Mr.  John  Bolton,*  implicitly  following  the  original  outline  of  the 
drawing  as  far  as  possible,  lias  honestly  endeavored  to  give  such  a  rendering 
of  the  entire  work  as  the  doctor  would  have  done  had  he  lived  to  retuni 
liomc  and  superintend  the  construction;  and  I  take  this  ojjportunity  of  ex- 


«  AUiulicU  to  Mr.  Sliiiilcj'n  slulf. 


IXTEODUCTIOX. 


pressing  my  sincere  gratification  that  Mr.  Bolton's  rare  teclinical  skill,  scien- 
tific knowledge,  and  uuwearjing  labor  have  been  available  for  the  purpose. 

Among  almost  the  last  words  that  Li\-ingstone  wrote,  I  find  an  unfinish- 
ed letter  to  myself,  in  which  he  gives  me  very  clear  and  explicit  directions 
concerning  the  geographical  notes  he  had  previously  sent  home,  and  I  am 
but  carrying  out  the  sacred  duty  which  is  attached  to  a  last  wish  when  I 
call  attention  to  the  fact  that  he  particularly  desired  in  this  letter  that  nv 
positions  gathered  from  his  observations  for  latitude  and  longitude,  nor  for  the 
levels  of  the  lakes,  etc.,  should  be  considered  correct  till  Sir  Thornas  Maclear  had 
examined  them.  The  position  of  Casembe's  town,  and  of  a  point  near  Pam- 
bett6  at  the  south-east,  and  of  Lake  Liemba  (Tanganyika),  have  been  com- 
puted and  corrected  hy  Sir  T.  JIaclear  and  Dr.  Mann.  The  observations  for 
latitude  were  taken  at  short  intervals,  and  where  it  has  been  possible  to  test 
them  they  liave  been  found  very  correct ;  but  I  repeat,  that  until  the  impri- 
matur of  liis  old  friend  at  tlie  Cape  of  Good  Hope  stands  over  the  whole  of 
Livingstone's  work,  the  map  must  be  accepted  as  open  to  further  corrections. 

The  journey  from  Kabwabwata  to  Mparru  has  been  inserted  entirely  from 
notes,  as  the  traveler  was  too  ill  to  mark  the  route.  This  is  the  only  in- 
stance in  all  his  wanderings  where  he  failed  to  give  some  indication  on  his 
map  of  tlie  nature  of  tlie  ground  over  which  he  passed.  The  journey  from 
Mikindany  Bay  to  Lake  Nyassa  has  also  been  laid  down  from  his  journal 
and  latitudes  in  consequence  of  the  section  of  this  part  of  his  route  (which 
he  left  at  Ujiji)  not  having  arrived  in  England  at  this  date.*  It  will  be 
observed  that  the  outline  of  Lake  Nyassa  differs  from  that  on  any  pub- 
lished map.  It  has  l)een  drawn  from  the  original  exploratory  survey  of  its 
soutliem  shores  made  by  Dr.  Livingstone  in  1861-63.  For  some  reason  this 
original  plan  was  not  adhered  to  by  a  former  draughtsman,  but  the  lake 
lias  here  been  restored  to  a  more  accurate  bearing  and  position. 

How  often  sliall  we  see  in  the  pages  of  this  concluding  chajjler  of  liis  life 
that  unwavering  determination  which  was  pre-eminently  the  great  charac- 
teristic of  David  Livingstone ! 

Naturally  endowed  with  unusual  endurance,  .able  to  concentrate  faculties 
of  no  ordinary  kind  upon  wliatcver  he  took  in  hand,  and  with  a  dread  of 
exaggeration  which  at  times  almost  militated  against  the  importance  of 
some  of  his  greatest  discoveries,  it  may  be  doubted  if  ever  geographer  went 
forth  strengtliencd  with  so  much  tme  power.  Let  us  add  to  tliese  a  sincere 
trust  that  slavery,  the  "  great  open  sore  of  the  world,"  as  he  called  it,  might, 
under  God's  good  guidance,  receive  healing  at  his  hands;  a  fervent  hope 
that  others  would  follow  liim  after  he  had  removed  those  difficulties  whicli 

*  In  February  last  this  section  of  the  map  (a»  wc  suppose),  together  with  some  of 
the  doctor's  i)apcrs,  was  sent  off  from  Ujiji  by  Lieutenant  Cnnieron.  Nothing,  how- 
ever, liad  arrived  on  tlic  32d  of  Si'pl('nil)er  at  Zanzibar,  and  II.  M.  Consul,  Captain 
Pridoaux,  entertained  serious  d<)ul)ts  at  tliat  llnic  wlietlier  tliey  would  ever  conic  to 
liand.  All  Livingstone's  journals  were  saved  through  other  iiistruineiitulity,  as  I 
have  shown. 


INTRODUCTION. 


are  comprised  in  a  profound  ignorance  of  the  physical  features  of  a  new 
country,  and  we  have  the  marching  orders  of  him  who  left  us  in  August, 
1865,  never  to  return  alive. 

Privileged  to  enjoy  his  near  personal  friendship  for  a  considerable  period 
in  Africa,  and  also  at  home,  it  has  been  easy  to  trace — more  especially  from 
correspondence  with  him  of  late  years — that  Livingstone  wanted  just  some 
such  gigantic  problem  as  that  which  he  attacked  at  the  last  to  measure  his 
strength  against :  that  he  finally  overrated  and  overtaxed  it,  I  think  all  must 
admit. 

He  had  not  sufficiently  allowed  for  an  old  wound  which  his  constitution 
received  while  battling  with  dysentery  and  fever  on  his  celebrated  journey 
across  Africa,  and  this  finally  sapped  his  vital  powers,  and,  through  the  ir- 
ritation of  exhaustion,  insidiously  clouded  much  of  his  happiness. 

Many  of  his  old  friends  were  tilled  with  anxiety  when  they  found  that 
he  intended  to  continue  the  investigation  of  the  Nile  sources,  for  the  letters 
sent  home  by  Mr.  Stanley  raised  the  liveliest  apprehensions,  which,  alas ! 
soon  proved  themselves  well  grounded. 

The  reader  must  be  warned  that,  however  versed  in  books  of  African 
travel  he  may  be,  the  very  novelty  of  his  situation  among  these  pages  will 
render  him  liable,  perhaps,  to  a  danger  which  a  timely  word  may  avert. 
Truly  it  may  be  said  he  has  an  embarrass  de  richesses!  To  follow  an  ex- 
]>lorer  who,  by  his  individual  exertions,  has  filled  up  a  great  space  in  the 
map  of  Africa,  who  has  not  only  been  the  first  to  set  foot  on  the  shores  of 
vast  inland  seas,  but  who,  with  the  simple  appliances  of  his  bodily  stature 
for  a  sounding-pole  and  his  stalwart  stride  for  a  measuring-tape,  lays  down 
new  rivers  by  the  hundreds,  is  a  task  calculated  to  stagger  him.  It  may 
be  provoking  to  find  Livingstone  busily  engaged  in  bargaining  for  a  canoe 
upon  the  shores  of  Bangvveolo,  much  as  he  would  have  secured  a  boat  on 
his  own  native  Clyde ;  but  it  was  not  in  his  nature  to  be  subject  to  those 
paroxysms  in  which  travelers  too  often  indite  their  discoveries  and  descrip- 
tions. 

At  the  same  time,  these  journals  will  be  found  to  contain  innumerable 
notes  on  the  habits  of  animals,  birds,  and  fishes,  many  of  them  probably 
new  species,  and  on  phenomena  in  every  direction  which  the  keen  eye 
searched  out  as  the  great  traveler  moved  among  some  of  the  grandest 
scenes  of  this  Ijeautil'ul  world.  It  may  be  doubted  if  ever  eye  so  keen  was 
l)acked  by  so  much  perseverance  to  shield  it  from  a  more  superficial  liabit 
of  noticing.    Let  his  adventures  speak  for  themselves. 

Among  the  greatest  facts  recorded  here  the  geograj)hcr  will  perceive  tliat 
flu;  doctor  has  placed  it  l)eyond  doiilit  that  Lake  Nyassa  liclongs  to  a  to- 
tally distinct  .system  of  waters  to  thai  which  holds  Lake  Tanganyika,  and 
the  rivers  running  north  and  west,  lie  was  too  sagacious  to  venture  the 
surmise  that  Tanganyika  has  a  subterranean  outlet  without  having  duly 
weighed  the  probabilities  in  the  scale  with  his  elaborate;  observations;  the 
idea  gathers  force  wlicn  we  remember  that  in  the  case  of  limestone  clifls 


IXTBODUCTION.  7 

water  so  often  succeeds  in  breaking  bounds  by  boring  througli  the  solid 
rock.  No  more  interesting  problem  is  left  to  solve,  and  we  shall  yet  learn 
whether,  through  the  caverns  of  Western  Kabogo,  this  lake  adds  its  waters 
to  the  vast  northerly  flow  of  rivers  we  now  read  of  for  the  first  time,  and 
which  are  undoubtedly  among  the  largest  in  the  world. 

I  can  not  close  these  remarks  without  stating  how  much  obliged  I  am  to 
Mr.  James  Young,  F.  R.  S.,  of  Kelly,  for  having  insured  the  presence  of  the 
doctor's  men,  Chuma  and  Susi.  Ever  ready  to  serve  his  old  friend  Living- 
stone, he  took  care  that  they  should  be  at  my  elbow  so  long  as  I  required 
them  to  help  me  amidst  the  pile  of  3ISS.  and  majjs.  Their  knowledge  of 
the  countries  they  traveled  in  is  most  remarkable,  and  from  constantly  aid- 
ing their  master  by  putting  questions  to  the  natives  respecting  the  course  of 
rivers,  etc.,  I  found  them  actual  geographers  of  no  mean  attainments.  Tn  one 
instance,  when  in  doubt  concerning  a  particular  water-shed,  to  my  surprise 
Susi  returned  a  few  hours  afterward  with  a  plan  of  the  whole  system  of 
rivers  in  the  region  under  examination,  and  I  found  his  sketch  tally  well 
with  the  doctor's  map.  Known  to  me  previously  for  years  on  the  Zambesi 
and  Shir^,  it  was  a  jjlcasure  to  have  them  with  me  for  four  months.  x\mong 
other  good  services,  they  have  aided  the  artist  by  reproducing  the  exact  fac- 
simile of  the  hut  in  which  Dr.  Livingstone  expired,  besides  making  models 
of  the  "  kitanda "  on  which  he  was  carried,  and  of  the  village  in  which  his 
body  lay  for  fourteen  days. 

I  need  not  add  what  ready  and  valuable  assistance  I  have  derived  from 
the  doctor's  old  companion.  Dr.  Kirk,  wherever  I  have  found  it  necessary  to 
apply  to  him ;  some  of  the  illustrations  are  more  particularly  owing  to  his 
kindness. 

It  only  remains  to  say  that  it  has  been  thouglit  advisable  to  retain  all  the 
.■strictly  scientific  matter  found  in  Dr.  Livingstone's  journals  for  future  pub- 
lication. When  one  sees  that  a  register  of  the  daily  rain -fall  was  kept 
throughout,  that  the  temperature  was  continually  recorded,  and  that  baro- 
metrical and  hypsometrical  observations  were  made  with  unflagging  thor- 
oughness of  ])urpose  year  in  and  year  out,  it  is  obvious  that  an  accumulated 
mass  of  information  remains  for  tlie  meteorologist  to  deal  with  separately, 
which  alone  must  engross  many  months  of  labor. 

A  constant  sense  of  great  rcsponsil^ility  has  been  mine  throughout  this 
task,  for  one  can  not  doubt  that  nmc.h  of  the  future  welfare  of  distant  tribes 
and  races  depends  uj)on  Livhigstonc  obtaining  through  these  records  a  dis- 
tinct hearing  for  their  woes,  their  misery,  and,  above  all,  for  their  willing- 
ness to  welcome  men  drawn  toward  them  by  motives  like  his. 

At  tlio  same  tinu>,  memory  and  alfcction  have  not  faih'd  to  bring  back 
vividly  the  man,  the  triivclcr,  and  the  friend.  May  tliat  wliich  he  has  said 
in  his  journals  sutler  neither  loss  of  interest  nor  depth  of  meaning  at  the 
compiler's  hands. 

Horace  Walleu. 

TWYWEI.I,  Ul5(  TOKY,  TllIlAPSTON, 

NoilTllA.\l|-TON8IIIKE,  Aov.  2d,  1874. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

An  ival  at  Zanzibar. — Hearty  Reception  by  Said  Majid,  the  Sultan. — Murder  of  Baron 
van  der  Decken. — The  Slave-market. — Preparations  for  starting  to  tiie  Interior. — 
Embarkation  in  H.  JI.  S.  Penguin  and  Dhow. — Kovuina  Buy  impracticable. — Dis- 
embarks at  Mikindany. — Joy  at  traveling  once  more. — Trouble  with  Sepoys. — 
Camels  attacked  by  Tsetse  Fly,  and  by  Sepoys. — Jungle  Sappers. — Meets  old  Ene- 
mies.— The  Makonde'. — Lake  Naugandi. — Gum-copal  Diggings  Page  1" 

CHAPTER  II. 

Effect  of  Pioneers  former  Visit. — The  Poodle  Chitane. — Result  of  Tsetse  Bites. — 
Death  of  Camels  and  Buffaloes.— Disaffection  of  Followers. — Dis])uted  Right  of 
Ferry. — Mazitii  Raids. — An  old  Friend. — Severe  Privations. — The  River  Loendi. 
— Sepoys  mutiny. — Dr.  Roscher. — Desolation. — 'J  attooing. — Ornamental  Teeth. — 
Singular  Custom. — Death  of  the  Nassick  Boy,  Richard. — A  sad  Reminiscence. .  40 

CHAPTER  III. 

lloimiii.  of  the  Slave-tiader's  Track.' — System  of  Cidtivation. — Pottery. — Special  Ex- 
orcising.— Death  of  Vhe  last  JIule. — Rescue  of  Chirik;iloma"s  Wifi!. — Brutalities  of 
the  Slave-drivers. — Mtarika's. — Desperate  March  to  Mtaka's. — Meets  Arab  Cara- 
vans.— Dismay  of  Slavers. — Dismissal  of  Sepoys. — Mataka. — The  Waiyau  Me- 
tropolis.— Great  Hospitality  and  good  Feeling. — Mataka  restores  stolen  Cattle. — 
Life  with  the  Chief. — Beauty  of  Coinitry  and  Healthiness  of  Climate. — The  Wai- 
yau People  and  their  Peculiarities. — Regrets  at  the  Abandonment  of  IJi.sho])  Mac- 
kenzie's Plans   09 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Geology  and  Description  of  the  Waiyau  Land.— Leaves  Mataka's. — The  Nyumbo- 
plant. — Native  Iron-foimdry. — Blacksmillis.— ^[akes  Un-  the  Lake  Nyassa. — De- 
ligiit  at  seeing  the  Lake  once  more. — The  Manganja  or  Nyassa  Tribe. — Aral) 
Slave-crossing. — Unable  to  |)rocure  Passage  across. — The  Kungti  Fly. — Fear  of 
the  English  among  Slavers.— Lake  Shore.— Blue  Ink.— Chitane  changes  Color. — 
The  Xsaka  Fish. — Makidao>e' drinks  Beer. — The  Sanjika  Fish. — London  Antiqui- 
ties.— Lake  Rivers. — Mukatd's. — Lake  I'amalombd. — Mponda's.— A  Sliiva-guu&J 
— Wikatani  discovers  his  Relatives,  and  remaitis   7!) 

CHAPTER  V. 

Crosses  Cape  Maclcar.— The  Havildar  demoralized.— The  disccmifitod  Chief.— Reach- 
e.s  Marcnga's  Town. — The  Earth-sponge. — Description  of  Marenga's  Town.  —  Ru- 
mors of  .Maziru.— Miisa  and  the  .Johanna  Meiv  desert.  — Reaches  Kimsusa's.  —  His 
Delight  at  seeing  the  Doctor  once  more.  The  Im  Ram. — Kimsusa  relates  his  Ex- 
pericii'-c  of  Livingstone's  Advice.- Cliuiun  funis  Relatives. — Kimsusa  solves  the 


10 


COXTEXTS. 


Transport  Difficulty  nobly. — Another  old  fishing  Acquaintance. — Description  of 
the  Peo])ie  and  Country  on  the  west  of  the  Lake. — The  Kanthundas. — Kauma. — 
Iron-smelting. — An  African  Sir  Colin  Campbell. — Milandos  Page  100 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Progress  northward. — An  African  Forest; — Destruction  by  Mazitu. — Native  Saluta- 
tions.— A  disagreeable  Chief — On  the  Water-shed  between  the  Lake  and  the 
Loangwa  River. — Extensive  Iron-workings. — An  old  Nimrod. — The  Bua  River. 
— Lovely  Scenery. — Difficulties  of  Transport. — Chilobe. — An  African  Pythoness. 
— Enlists  two  AVaiyau  Bearers. — 111. — The  Chitella  Bean. — Rains  set  in. — Arrives 


at  the  Loangwa   118 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Crosses  the  Loangwa. — Distressing  March. — The  King-hunter. — Great  Hunger. — 
Christmas  Feast  necessarily  postponed. — Loss  of  Goats. — Honey-hunters. — A 


Meal  at  last. — The  Babisa. — The  Mazitu  again. — Chitembo's. — End  of  ISOO. — 
The  New  Year. — The  northern  Brim  of  the  great  Loangwa  Valley. — Accident  to 
(Chronometers. — Meal  gives  out. — Escape  from  a  Cobra  Capello. — Pushes  for  the 
Chambeze. — Death  of  Chitane. — Great  Pinch  for  Food. — Disastrous  Loss  of  Medi- 
cine-chest.— Bead  Currency. — Babisa. — The  Chambeze'. — Reaches  Chitapangwa's 
Town. — Meets  Arab  Traders  from  Zanzibar. — Sends  off  Letters. — Chitapangwa 
and  his  People. — Complications   135 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Chitapangwa's  parting  Oath. — Course  laid  for  Lake  Tanganyika. — Moamba's  Village. 
— Another  Water-shed. — The  Babemba  Tribe. — 111  with  Fever. — Threatening  At- 
titude of  Chibue's  ]>eople. — Continued  Illness. — Reaches  Cliffs  overhanging  Lake 
Liemba. — Extreme  Beauty  of  the  Scene. — Dangerous  Fit  of  Insensibility. — Leaves 
the  Lake. — Pernambuco  Cotton. — Rumors  of  War  between  Arabs  and  Nsama. — 
Reaches  Chitimba's  Village. — Presents  Sultan's  Letter  to  princi]ial  Arab  llamees. 
— The  War  in  Itawa. — Geography  of  the  Arabs.— Ivory  Traders  and  Slave-dealers. 
—Appeal  to  the  Koran. — Gleans  Intelligence  of  the  Wa.^ongo  to  the  eastward,  and 
their  Chief,  Mercre. — llamees  sets  out  against  Nsama. — Tedious  Sojourn. — De- 
parture for  Ponda.r— Native  Cupping   1G2 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Peace  Negotiations  with  Nsama. — Geographical  Gleanings. — Curious  Spider. — Reach- 
es the  River  Lofu. — Arrives  at  Nsama's. — llamees  marries  the  Daughter  of  Nsama. 
— Flight  of  the  Bride. — Conflagration  in  Arab  Quarters. — Anxious  to  visit  J^ake 
Moero. — Arab  Burial. — Serious  Illness. — Continues  Journey  .^Slave-traders  on 
the  March. — Readies  Moero. — Description  of  the  Lake. — Information  concerning 
the  Chambeze  and  Luapula. — Hears  of  Lake  Bemba. — Visits  Spot  of  Dr.  Lacerda's 
Death. — Cusembe  apprised  of  Livingstone's  Ap])roach. — Meets  Mohamad  Boga- 
rib. — Lakelet  Mofwe. — Arrives  at  Casembe's  Town   184 

CHAPTER  X. 

Grand  Reception  of  tlie  Traveler. — Casembe  and  his  Wife.— Long  Stay  in  the  Town. — 
Goes  to  explore  Moero.  —  Dispatch  lo  Lord  Clarendon,  with  Notes  on  recent  Trav- 
els.— Illness  at  the  End  of  1S(>7. — Farther  Exploration  of  Lake  Moero. — Flooded 
Plains. — The  River  Luao. — Visits  Kabwawata. — Joy  of  Arabs  at  Mohamad  bin  Sa- 
leh's  Freedom. — Again  ill  with. Fever. — Stories  of  under-ground  Dwellings....  203 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Riot  in  the  ('amp.  —  Mohamad's  Account  of  his  long  Imprisonment. — Superstitions 
about  Children's  Teeth. — Concerning  Dreams. — News  of  Lake  Cliowambd. — Life 


CONTENTS. 


11 


of  the  Arab  Slavers. — The  Katanga  Gold  Supply. — Muabo. — Ascent  of  the  Rua 
Mountains. — Svdebin  Habib. — Birthday,  March  I'Jth,  1868. — Hostility  of  Mpwe'to. 
— Contemplates  visiting  Lake  Bemba. — Nile  Sources. — Men  desert. — The  Shores 
of  Moero. — Visits  Fungafunga. — Return  to  Casembe's.- — Obstructiveness  of  "  Crop- 
ped-ears." — Accounts  of  Fereira  and  Dr.  Lacerda. — Major  Monteiro. — The  Line 
of  Casembe's. — Casembe  explains  the  Connection  of  the  Lakes  and  the  Luapula.— 
Queen  Moari. — Arab  Sacrifice. — Kapika  gets  rid  of  his  Wife  Page  221 

CHAFTER  XIL 

Prepares  to  examine  Lake  Bemba. — Starts  from  Casembe's,  June  11th,  1868. — Dead 
Leopard. — Moenampanda's  Reception. — The  River  Luongo. — Weird  Death-song 
of  Slaves. — The  Forest  Grave. — Lake  Bembo  changed  to  Lake  Bangweolo. — Chi- 
kurabi's. — The  Imbozwa  Feople. — Kombokombo's  Stockade. — Mazitii's  Difficul- 
ties.— Discovers  Lake  Bangweolo  on  July  18th,  18G8. — The  Lake  Ciiief  Mapuni. 
— Description  of  the  Lake. — Frepares  to  navigate  it. — Embarks  for  Lifunge'  Isl- 
and.— Immense  Size  of  Lake. — Reaches  Mpabala  Island. — Strange  Drenm. — Fears 
of  Canoe-men. — Return  to  Siiore.— March  back. — Sends  Letters. — Meets  Ban- 
yamwezi. — Reviews  recent  Explorations  at  length. — Disturbed  State  of  the  Coun- 
try  241 

CILVFTER  XIII. 

Cataracts  of  the  Kalongosi. — Passage  of  the  River  disputed. — Leeches,  and  Meth- 
od of  detaching  them. — Syde  bin  Habibs  Slaves  escape. — Enormous  Collection  of 
Tusks. — 111. — Theory  of  the  Nile  Sources. — Tribute  to  MissTinne. — Notes  on  Cli- 
mate.— Separation  of  Lake  Nyassa  from  the  Nile  System. — ObseiTations  on  Vic- 
toria Nyanza. — Slaves  dying. — Repentant  Deserters. — Mohamad  Bogliarib. — En- 
raged Imbozhwa. — An  Attack. — Narrow  Escape. — Renewed  Attack. — A  Farley. 
— Help  arrives.  —  Bin  Jnma. — March  from  the  Imbozhwa  Country. — Slaves  escape. 
— Burial  of  Syde  bin  Ilahib's  Brother. — Singular  ('usiom. — An  Elephant  killed. — 
Native  Game-laws. — Rumor  of  Baker's  Expedition. — Christmas  Diniicr.s   264 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Bad  beginning  of  the  New  Year. — Dangerous  Illness. — Kindness  of  Arabs. — Com- 
plete Helplessness. — Arrive  at  Tanganyika. — The  Doctor  is  conveyed  in  Canoes. 
— Kasanga  Islet. — Cochin-China  Fowls. — Reaches  Ujiji. — Receives  some  Stores. 
— Plundering  Hands. — Slow  Recovery. — Writes  Dis])atclies. — Refusal  of  Arabs  to 
take  Letters. — Thani  bin  Siiellim. — A  Den  of  Slavers. — I'uzzling  Current  in  Lake 
Tanganyika. — Letters  sent  off  at  last. — Contemplates  visiting  the  Manyuema. — 
Arab  Depredations. — Starts  for  new  Explorations  in  Manyuema,  Jidy  Tith,  186!). 

—  Voyage  on  the  Lake. — Kabogo  East. — (,'rosses  Tanganyika. — Evil  Effects  of  last 
Illness.  —  Elephant-hunter's  Superstition. — Dugumhe'. — The  Lualaba  reaches  the 
Manyuema.— Sons  of  Moenekuss. — Sokos  first  heard  of. — Manyuema  Customs. — 
Illness   285 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Prepares  to  explore  River  Lualaba. — Beauty  of  the  Manyuema  Country.  — Irritation 
at  ('onduct  of  Arabs.  —  Duguinbe's  Ravages. — Hordes  of  Traders  arrive.  —  Severe 
Fever. — Elephant  Trap. — Sickness  in  C'amp. — A  good  Samarilan.  —  Reaches  Ma- 
niohcla,  and  is  ])rostralcd.  — Benclicial  Effects  of  Nyunibo-i>lanl.  —  Long  Illness. — 
An  Elephant  of  three  Tusks. — All  Men  desert  except  Susi,  Chunia,  and  (iardner. 
— Slarls  with  these  to  Lualaba. — Arab  assassinated  liy  outraged  Manyuema. — Re- 
turns badlcd  to  Mamdhchi.  —  Long  and  dreadful  SulVerIng  from  ulcerated  Feet. — 
Qiiesiioinilile  Cannibalism.  —  Hears  of  four  River  Sources  close  together.  —  Resume' 
of  Discoveries.-  (^>ntcm|)orary  Explorers. — The  Soko.— Description  of  its  llabils. 

—  Dr.  Livingstone  feels  himself  failing. — Intrigues  of  Deserters   .'tdiS 


12 


COXTEXTS. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Footsteps  of  Moses. — Geology  of  Manyneraa  Land. — "A  Drop  of  Comfort." — Con- 
aniied  Sutieriiigs. — A  stationary  E.\plorer. — Consequences  of  trusting  to  Tiieory. 
— Nomenclature  of  Kivers  and  Lakes. — Plunder  and  Murder  is  Ujijian  Trading. — 
Comes  out  of  Hut  for  first  Time  after  eighty  Days'  Illness. — Ai'ab  Cure  for  ulcer- 
ateil  Sores.  — Kumor  of  Letters. — Tiie  Loss  of  Medicines  a  great  Trial  now. — The 
broken-hearted  Cliief. — Return  of  Arab  Ivory-traders. — Future  Plans. — Thankful- 
ness for  Mr.  Edward  Young's  Sei\icli  E.xpedition. — The  Horn-billed  Phoeni.x. — 
Tedious  Delays. ^ — The  Bargain  for  the  Boy. — Sends  Letters  to  Zanzibar. — Ex- 
asperation of  Manyuema  against  Arabs. — The  "Sassassa  Bird." — The  Disease 
"Safura."  '.  ,  Page  328 

CilAl'TER  XVII. 

Degraded  State  of  the  Manyuema. — Want  of  Writing  Maferials. — Lion's  Fat  a  Spe- 
cific against  Tsetse. — The  Neggeri. — Jottings  about  Merere. — Various  Sizes  of 
Tusks. — An  Epidemic. — The  strangest  Disease  of  all! — The  New  Year. — Deten- 
tion at  Bamharre. — Goitre. — News  of  the  Cholera. — Arrival  of  Coast  Caravan. — 
The  Parrots-feather  Challenge.- — Murder  of  James. — Men  arrive  as  Servants. — 
They  refuse  to  go  North. — Parts  at  last  with  Malcontents. — Receives  Letters  from 
Dr.  Kirk  and  the  Sultan. — Doubts  as  to  the  Congo  or  Nile. — Katomba  presents  a 
young  Soko. — Forest  Scenery. — Discrimination  Of  the  Manyuema.— They  "want 
to  eat  a  white  one." — Horrible  Bloodshed  by  Ujiji  Traders. — Heart-sore,  and  sick 
of  Blood. — Approaches  Nyangwe. — Reaches  thoLualaba   .'U7 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

The  Chitoka,  or  Market  gathering. — The  broken  Watch. — Improvises  Ink. — Build-; 
a  new  House  at  Nyangwe,  on  the  Bank  of  the  Lualaba. — Marketing. — Cannibal- 
ism.— Lake  Kamalondo.— Dreadful  Eti'ect  of  Slaving. — News  of  Country  across  the 
Lualaba. — Tiresome  Frustration. — The  Bakuss. — Feeble  Health. — Busy  Scene  at 
Market. — Unable  to  procure  Canoes. — Disaster  to  Arab  Canoes. — Rapids  in  Lua- 
laba.— Project  for  visiting  Lake  Lincoln  and  the  Lomnnie'. — Orteis  large  Reward 
for  Canoes  and  Men. — Tlie  Slave's  Mistress. — Alarm  of  Natives  at  Market. — Fiend- 
isli  Slaughter  of  Women  by  Arabs. — Heart-rending  Scene.— Death  on  Land  and 
in  the  River. — Tagamoio's  Assassinations. — Continued  Slaughter  across  the  Riv- 
er.— Livingstone  becomes  desponding   3G7 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Leaves  for  Ujiji. — Dangerous  Journey  through  Forest. — The  Manyuema  understand 
Livingstone's  Kindness. — Zanzibar  Slaves. — Kasonga's. — Stalactite  (?aves. — ('on- 
sequences  of  eating  Parrots. — 111. — Attacked  in  the  Forest. — Providential  Deliv- 
erance.— Another  extraordinary  Esca])e. — Taken  for  Mohamad  Bogharib. — Rini- 
ning  the  Gauntlet  for  five  Hours. — Loss  of  Property. — Reaches  Place  of  Safety. — 
111. — Mamohela. — To  the  Luamo. — Severe  Disappointment.  — Recovers. — Severe 
Marching. — Reaches  Ujiji. — Despondency.  —  Opportune  Arrival  of  Mr.  Stanley. — 
Joy  and  Thankfulness  of  the  old  Traveler. — Determines  to  examine  nortli  End  of 
Lake  Tanganyika.— They  start. — Reach  the  Lusizc. — No  Outlet. — "Theoretical 
Discovery"  of  the  real  Outlet. — Mr.  Stanley  ill. — Returns  to  Ujiji. — Leaves  Stores 
there. — Dejiarlure  for  Unyanyembi'  with  Mr.  Stanley. — Abundance  of  (iame. — 
Attacked  by  Bees. — Serious  Illness  of  Mr.  Stanley. — Thankfulness  at  reaching  Un- 
yanyembe   38'J 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Determines  to  conlinue  bis  Work.  — Propo.sed  Route.  —  Refits.  — Robberies  discov- 
ered.— Mr.  Stanley  leaves.  — i'ariing  Messjiges. — Mteza's  I'cuple  an  ive.  —  Aiu  ieui 


CONTENTS. 


13 


Geography.  —  Tabora.  —  Description  of  the  Country.  —  The  Banyamwezi.  —  A 
Baganda  Bargain. — The  Popuhition  of  Unyanyembe. — The  Mirambo  War. — 
Thoughts  on  Sir  S.Baker's  Policy. — The  Cat  and  the  Snake. — Firm  Faith. — 
Feathered  Neighbors. — Mistaken  Notion  concerning  Mothers. — Prospects  for  JNIis- 
sionaries. — Halima. — News  of  other  Travelers. — Chuma  is  married  Page  410 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Letters  arrive  at  last. — Sore  Intelligence. — Death  of  an  old  Friend. — Obser\-ations 
on  the  Climate. — Arab  Caution. — Dearth  of  Jlissionary  Enterprise. — Tlie  Slave- 
trade  and  its  Horrors. — Progressive  Barbarism. — Carping  Benevolence. — Geolog}' 
of  Soiithem' Africa. — The  Fountain  Sources. — African  Elephants. — A  venerable 
Piece  of  Artillery.  — Livingstone  on  Materialism. — Bin  Nassib.  — The  Baganda 
leave  at  last. — Enlists  a  new  Follower   43G 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Short  Years  in  Baganda. — Boys'  Playthings  in  Africa. — Reflections. — Arrival  of  the 
Men. — Fervent  Thankfulness. — An  End  of  the  weary  Waiting. — Jacob  Wainwright 
takes  Service  under  the  Doctor. — Preparations  for  the  Journey. — Flagging  and  Ill- 
ness.— Great  Heat. — Approaches  Lake  Tanganyika. — The  Borders  of  Fipa. — Lepi- 
dosirens  and  Vultures. — Capes  and  Islands  of  Lake  Tanganyika. — Higher  Mount- 
ains.— Large  Baj-   452 

CHAPTER  XXni. 

False  Guides. — Veiy  difBcult  Traveling. — Donkey  dies  of  Tsetse  Bites. — The  Ka- 
sonso  Family. — A  hospitable  Chief. — The  River  Lofu. — The  Nutmeg-tree. — Fam- 
ine.— 111. — Anives  at  Chama's  Town. — A  Difficulty. — An  immense  Snake. — Ac-' 
count  of  Casembe's  Death. — The  Flowers  of  the  Babisa  Country. — Reaches  the 
River  Lo])oposi. — Arrives  at  Chituiikue's. — Terrible  Marching. — The  Doctor  is 
borne  through  the  flooded  Country   465 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Entangled  among  the  Marshes  of  Bangweolo. — Great  Privations. — Obliged  to  return 
to  Chitufikuii's. — At  the  Chief's  Mercy. — Agreeably  surprised  with  the  Chief. — 
Start  once  more. — Very  difficult  March. — Robbery  exposed. — Fresh  Attack  of  Ill- 
ness.— Sends  Scouts  out  to  find  Villages. — Message  to  Chirubwc. — An  Ant  Raid. — 
Awaits  News  from  Mati[)a. — Distressing  Perplexity. — Tiie  Boiigas  of  Bangweolo. 
— Constant  Rain  above  and  Flood  below. — 111. — Susi  and  Chinna  sent  as  Envoys 
to  Matipa. — Reach  Bangweolo. — Arrive  at  Matipa's  Islet. — Slatipa's  Town. — The 
Donkey  suffers  in  Transit. — Tries  to  go  on  to  Kabinga's. — Dr.  Livingstone  makes 
a  Demonstration. — Solution  of  the  Transport  Difficulty. — Susi  and  Detachment 
sent  to  Kabinga's.  —  Extraordinary  Extent  of  Flood. — Reaches  Kabinga's. — An 
Upset. — Crosses  the  Cliambezc. — The  River  Muanaka/.i. — They  separate  into  Com- 
panies by  Land  and  Water. — A  disconsolate  Lion. — Singular  Caterpillars. — Obser- 
vations on  Fish. — Coasting  along  the  southern  Flood  of  Lake  Bangweolo. — Dan- 
gerous State  of  Dr.  Livingstone   480 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Or.  Livingstone  rapidly  sinking. — Last  Entries  in  his  Diary. — Susi  and  Chuma's  ad- 
ditional Details. — Great  Agony  in  his  last  Illness. — Carried  across  Rivers  and 
through  Flood. — In(|uirics  for  the  Hill  of  the  Four  Rivers. — Kalunganjovu's  Kind- 
ness.—  Crosses  tlie  Mohlamo  into  the  District  of  Ilahi  in  great  I'ain. — Arrives 
at  Cliitambo's  Village.  —  Chitanibo  comes  to  visit  the  dying  Traveler. — The  last 
Night. — Livingstone  exjiires  in  the  Act  of  praying. — The  Account  of  what  the 
Men  saw. — Remarks  on  his  Death. — Council  of  the  Men. — Leaders  selected. — 
The  Chief  discovers  that  his  Guest  is  dead. — Noble  Conduct  of  Chitumbo. — A 

1* 


14 


CONTENTS. 


separate  Village  built  by  the  Jlen  wherein  to  prepare  the  Body  for  Transport. — 
The  Preparation  of  tlie  Corpse. — Honor  shown  by  the  Natives  to  Dr.  Livingstone. 
— Additional  Remarks  on  the  Cause  of  Death. — Interment  of  the  Heart  at  Chi- 
tambo's,  in  Ilala  of  the  Wabisa. — An  Inscription  and  memorial  Sign-posts  left  to 
denote  Spot  Page  506 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

They  begin  the  homeward  March  from  Ilala. — Illness  of  all  the  Men. — Deaths. — 
Muanamazungu. — Tiie  Luapula. — The  Donkey  killed  by  a  Lion. — A  Disaster  at 
N'kossu's. — Native  Surgery. — Approach  Chawende's  Town.— Inhospitable  Recep- 
tion.— An  Encounter. — They  take  the  Town. — Leave  Chawende's. — Reach  Chi- 
waie's. — Strike  the  old  Road. — Wire-drawing. — Arrive  at  Kumba-kuniba's. — John 
Wain  Wright  disappears. — Unsuccessful  Search. — Reach  Tanganyika. — Leave  the 
Lake. — Cross  the  Lambalamfipa  Range. — Immense  Herds  of  Game. — News  of 
East-Coast  Search  Expedition. — Confirmation  of  News. — They  reach  Baula. — 
Avant-conriers  sent  forward  to  Unyanyembe. — Chuma  meets  Lieutenant  Cameron. 
— Start  for  the  Coast. — Sad  Death  of  Dr.  Dillon. — Clever  Precautions. — The  Body 
is  effectually  concealed. — Girl  killed  by  a  Snake. — Arrival  on  the  Coast. — Conclud- 
ing Remarks   521 


[Db.  Livingstone,  though  no  artist,  had  acquired  a  practice  of  makiDgrnde  sketches  of  scenes 
and  objects,  which  have  furnished  material  for  the  engravers  in  the  Illustrations  for  this 


ILLUSTPiATIOT^S. 

B.  Livingstone,  though  no  artist,  had  acquired  a  practice  of  mr 
and  objects,  which  have  furnished  material  for  the  engravers 
book.] 


JFuIl*paae  Sllustrattons. 

Page 

1.  PoRTit.viT  OF  Dr.  Li\aNG.sToxE  Frontispiece. 

2.  SLAVER.S  re%t;xgixg  theik  Losses  faces  59 

3.  Slaves  abandoned   "  64 

4.  ClIITAPANGWA  RECEIVING  DR.  LIVINGSTONE   "  155 

5.  The  Village  on  Lake  Liejiba  (Tang.vnyika)   "  170 

6.  The  Arrival  of  Hajiees's  Bride   "  189 

7.  Discovery  of  Lake  Bangweolo   "  252 

8.  Gltia  Head-dresses   "  300 

9.  Chi  ma  and  SCSI   "  318 

10.  Manyuema  Hunters  killing  Sokos   "  323 

11.  Portrait  of  a  Young  Soko   "  324 

12.  A  DAXGERors  Prize   "  354 

13.  Fac-si.mile  of  a  I'oRTio.v  OF  Dr.  Livingstone's  Journal   "  368 

14.  The  Mas.sacre  of  the  Manyuema  Women  at  NYAffGWE   "  383 

15.  The  Manyuema  Ambu.scade   "  393 

16.  "The  main  Stream  came  up  to  Susi's  Mouth"   "  484 

17.  The  La.st  Mile  of  Dr.  Livingstone's  Travels   "  503 

IH.  Fi.sii-eagle  on  Hii'POPOTAMi's  Trap   "  504 

19.  The  La.st  Entry  in  Dr.  Livingstone's  Journals   "  506 

■iO.  Evening.    Ilai.a,  Ai-uil  29th,  1873   "  509 

■.il.  Te.mi'orary  Vili^vge  in  which  Dr.  Livingstone's  Body  was 

prepared   "  518 


Sbtnallet  Cllustrntfons. 

1.  Dr.  Livingstone's  Housf^  Zanzibar   19 

2.  Dhow  u.sed  for  Transport  of  Dr.  Living.stone'8  Camels   25 

3.  A  Thorn-cllmber   31 

4.  Tomahawk  and  Axk   32 


16  ILL  VSTRA  TIONS. 

5.  Cae'S'ed  Door,  Zanzibar   38 

6.  Tattoo  of  Matajibwe   53 

7.  Machinga  and  Waiyau  Teeth...   54 

8.  Imitation  of  Basket-work  in  Pottery   76 

9.  Digging-stick  weighted  with  round  Stone   83 

10.  JIaxganja  a^td  Machinga  Women   99 

11.  Tattoo  on  Women   110 

12.  Curiously  cut-out  Stool  made  of  a  single  Wooden  Block   112 

13.  Women's  Teeth  hollo'w'ed   121 

14.  Mode  of  Forging  Hoes   125 

15.  ]SLvi,let  for  separating  Fjbres  of  Bark   132 

16.  The  Chief  Chitapa2s-gwa   154 

17.  Chitapangwa's  Wives   155 

18.  Filed  Teeth  of  Queen  Moari   242 

19.  A  Forest  Grave   245 

20.  Lines  of  green  Scum  on  Lake  Ta:sganyika   294 

21.  Mode  of  catching  Ajjts  ,.   30(i 

22.  Dr.  LmNGSTONE's  Mosquito  Curtain   495 

23.  JLvTiPA  AND  his  Wife   497 

24.  An  old  Servant  destroyed   524 

25.  Kawent)e  Surgery  52(i 


General  Map  of  Dr.  LI^^NGSTONE's  own  Discoveiues  To  face  284 

M^u>  OF  Conjectural  Geography  of  Centr.,vl  Africa,  from 

Dr.  LmNGSTONE's  Notes   "  540 


A  MAW 


eqUATVIf 


FOKEST  PLATEAU  of  AFRICA 

SHEWING 

THK  GREAT  RIVERS  and  LAKES 

DISCOVERED   AND  EXPLORED 

D"  LIVINGSTONE 
AND 

liiosf  laiil  dowii  bv  luiu  iii  accordance  with  information 
wliii-.h  he  ohsaiiir  J' from  Naiives  and  Arabs  . 


of  English  Mile 


zoo        ZSC         iOO  350 


Lifuiyslfif  \  rx'turs  ^iCT**rfn  tfir  yttirs  J83j  tind  1873* 


IZ*  East  of  Grf^wtrJi 


I 


DR.  LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Ari-ival  at  Zanzibar. — Hearty  Reception  by  Said  Majid,  tlie  Siiltan. — Murder  of  Baron 
van  der  Deckcn. — The  Slave-market. — Preparations  for  starting  to  tiie  Interior. — 
Embarkation  in  H.  M.  S.  Penguin  and  Dliow. — Kovuma  Bay  impracticable. — Dis- 
embarks at  Mikindany. — Joy  at  traveling  once  more. — Trouble  with  Sepoys. — 
Camels  attacked  by  Tsetse  Fly,  and  by  Sepoys. — Jungle  Sappers. — Meets  old  Ene- 
mies.— The  Makonde'. — Lake  Nangandi. — Gum-copal  Diggings. 

Zanzibar,  January  28th,  1866. — After  a  passage  of  twenty- 
three  days  from  Bombay,  we  arrived  at  this  island  in  the  Thuk, 
which  was  one  of  Captain  Sherard  Osborne's  late  Chinese  fleet, 
and  now  a  present  from  the  Bombay  Government  to  the  Sultan 
of  Zanzibar.  I  was  honored  with  the  commission  to  make  the 
formal  presentation,  and  this  was  intended  by  II.  E.,  the  Govern- 
or-in-Council,  to  show  in  how  much  estimation  I  was  held,  and 
thereby  induce  the  Sultan  to  forward  my  enterprise.  The  letter 
to  his  highness  was  a  commendatory  epistle  in  my  favor,  for  which 
consideration  on  tlie  part  of  Sir  Bartlc  Frerc  I  feel  deeply  grate- 
ful.   It  runs  as  follows: 

To  His  Highness  Sejuel  Majid,  Sultan  of  Zanzibar. 

"  Your  Highness,— I  trust  that  this  will  find  you  in  the  en- 
joyment of  health  and  hap{)inc.ss. 

"I  have  requested  my  friend.  Dr.  David  Livingstone,  who  is 
already  personally  well  and  favorably  known  to  your  highness, 
to  convey  to  you  the  assurance  of  the  continual  friendship  and 
good-will  of  licr  majesty's  government  in  India. 

'•Your  h  ighness  is  already  aware  of  the  benevolent  objects  of 
Dr.  Livingstone's  life  and  labors,  and  I  feci  assured  that  your 
highness  will  continue  to  him  the  favor  and  protection  which 
you  Iiavc  already  shown  to  him  on  former  occasions,  and  that 
your  highness  will  direct  every  aid  to  be  given  him  within  your 

2 


18 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


higbness's  dominions  which  may  tend  to  further  the  philanthropic 
designs  to  which  he  has  devoted  himself,  and  which,  as  your  high- 
ness is  aware,  are  viewed  with  the  warmest  interest  by  her  maj- 
esty's government  both  in  India  and  England. 

"I  trust  your  highness  will  favor  me  with  continued  accounts 
of  your  good  health  and  welfare. 

"I  remain,  your  highness's  sincere  friend, 

(Signed)  "  II.  B.  E.  Fkere. 

"Bombay  Castle,  January  2d,  1866." 

When  we  arrived  Dr.  Seward,  the  acting  consul,  was  absent 
at  the  Seychelles  on  account  of  serious  failure  of  health ;  Mr. 
Schultz,  however,  was  representing  him,  but  he  too  was  at  the 
time  away.  Dr.  Seward  was  expected  back  daily,  and  he  did  ar- 
rive on  the  31st.  I  requested  a  private  interview  with  the  Sultan, 
and  on  the  following  day  (2.9th)  called  and  told  him  the  nature 
of  my  commission  to  his  highness.  He  was  very  gracious,  and 
seemed  pleased  with  the  gift,  as  well  be  might,  for  the  Thide  is 
fitted  up  in  the  most  gorgeous  manner.  We  asked  a  few  days  to 
put  her  in  perfect  order,  and  this  being  the  Eaniadan,  or  fasting- 
month,  he  was  all  the  more  willing  to  defer  a  visit  to  the  vessel. 

Dr.  Seward  arranged  to  have  an  audience  with  the  Sultan,  to 
carry  out  his  instructions,  which  were  to  present  me  in  a  formal 
manner;  Captain  Bradshaw,  of  the  Wasp,  with  Captain  Leatbam, 
of  the  Vigilant,  and  Bishop  Tozer,  were  to  accompany  us  in  full 
dress,  but  the  Sultan  had  a  toothache  and  gum-boil,  and  could  not 
receive  us;  he,  however,  placed  one  of  his  houses  at  my  disposal, 
and  appointed  a  man  who  speaks  English  to  furnish  board  for  my 
men  and  me,  and  also  for  Captain  Brebncr,  of  the  Thalc,  and  his 
men. 

February  6th,  1866. — The  Sultan  being  still  unable  to  come, 
partly  on  account  of  toothache  and  partly  on  account  of  Rama- 
dan, he  sent  his  commodore.  Captain  Abdullah,  to  receive  the 
Thule.  When  the  English  flag  was  hauled  down  in  the  Thule,  it 
went  up  to  the  mainmast  of  the  Iskander  Shah,  and  was  saluted 
by  twenty-one  guns;  then  the  Wasp  saluted  the  Arab  flag  with 
an  equal  number,  which  honor  being  duly  acknowledged  by  a 
second  royal  salute  from  the  Iskander  Shah,  Captain  Abdullah's 
frigate,  the  ceremony  ended. 

Next  day,  the  7th,  we  were  received  by  the  Sultan,  and  through  j 
his  interpreter  I  told  him  tiiat  his  friend,  the  (Jovcrnor  of  Horn-  ; 
bay,  had  lately  visited  the  South  Mahratta,  jirinces,  and  had  j 
pressed  on  them  the  necessity  of  education ;  the  world  was  mov- 


I 


CONVERSATION  WITH  SAID  MAJID. 


19 


ing  on,  and  those  who  neglected  to  acquire  knowledge  would 
soon  lind  that  power  slipped  through  their  fingers,  and  that  the 
Bombay  Government,  in  presenting  his  highness  with  a  portion 
of  steam  power,  showed  its  desire  to  impart  one  of  the  greatest 
improvements  of  modern  times,  not  desiring  to  monopolize  pow- 
er, but  hoping  to  lift  up  others  with  themselves,  and  I  wished 
him  to  live  a  hundred  years  and  enjoy  all  happiness.  The  idea 
was  borrowed  partly  from  Sir  Bartle  Frere's  addresses,  because 
I  thought  it  would  have  more  weight  if  he  heard  a  little  from 
that  source  than  if  it  emanated  from  myself.  He  was  very  anx- 
ious that  Captain  Brebner  and  his  men,  in  returning  to  India, 
should  take  a  passage  from  him  in  the  Nadir  Shah,  one  of  his 
men-of-war,  and  though  he  had  already  placed  his  things  aboard 
the  Vigilant,  to  proceed  to  Seychelles,  and  thence  to  Bombay,  we 
persuaded  Captain  Brebner  to  accept  his  highness's  hospitality. 
He  had  evidently  set  his  heart  on  sending  them  back  with  suita- 
ble honors,  and  an  hour  after  consent  was  given  to  go  by  the 
Xadir  Shah,  he  signed  an  order  for  the  money  to  fit  her  out. 


LiviDgBtoiie't)  HoQse,  Zanzibar. 


Ftbruary  11///. — One  of  tlic  foremost  subjects  that  naturally 
occupied  my  mind  here  was  the  sad  loss  of  the  Baron  van  der 
Decken,  on  the  River  Juba,  or  Aljib.  Tlie  first  intimation  of  the 
unfortunate  termination  of  his  explorations  was  the  appearance 
of  Lieutenant  von  Schich  at  tliis  place,  who  had  left  without 
knowing  whether  his  leader  were  dead  or  alive,  but  an  attack  had 
been  made  on  the  encampment  which  had  been  planned  after  the 
steamer  struck  the  rocks  and  filled,  and  two  of  the  E]uropeans 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUIiXJLS. 


were  killed.  The  attacking  party  came  from  the  direction  in 
which  the  Baron  and  Dr.  Link  went,  and  three  men  of  note  in  it 
were  slain.  Von  Schich  went  back  from  Zanzibar  to  Brava  to 
ascertain  the  fate  of  the  Baron,  and  meanwhile  several  native  sail- 
ors from  Zanzibar  had  been  allowed  to  escape  from  the  scene  of 
confusion  to  Brava. 

February  18ih. — All  the  Europeans  went  to  pay  visits  of  con- 
gratulation to  his  highness  the  Sultan  upon  the  conclusion  of  the 
Ramadan,  when  sweetmeats  were  placed  before  us.  He  desired 
me  to  thank  the  Governor  of  Bombay  for  his  magnificent  gift, 
and  to  state  that  although  he  would  like  to  have  me  always  with 
him,  yet  he  would  show  me  the  same  favor  in  Africa  which  he 
had  done  here :  he  added  that  the  Thnle  was  at  my  service  to 
take  me  to  the  Rovuma  whenever  I  wished  to  leave.  I  replied 
that  nothing  had  been  wanting  on  his  part;  he  had  done  more 
than  I  expected,  and  I  was  sure  that  his  excellency  the  governor 
would  be  delighted  to  hear  that  the  vessel  promoted  his  health 
and  prosperity;  nothing  would  delight  him  more  than  this.  He 
said  that  he  meant  to  go  out  in  her  on  Wednesday  next  (20th): 
Bishop  Tozer,  Captain  Eraser,  Dr.  Steere,  and  all  the  English 
were  present.  The  sepoys  came  in  and  did  obeisance;  and  1 
pointed  out  the  Nassick  lads  as  those  who  had  been  rescued  from 
slavery,  educated,  and  sent  back  to  their  own  country  by  the 
governor.  Surely  he  must  see  that  some  people  in  the  world  act 
from  other  than  selfish  motives. 

In  the  afternoon  Sheik  Sulieman,  his  secretary,  came  with  a 
letter  for  the  governor,  to  be  conveyed  by  Lieutenant  Brebner, 
I.  N.,  in  the  Anadir  Shah,  which  is  to  sail  to-morrow.  He  offered 
money  to  the  lieutenant,  but  this  could  not  be  heard  of  for  a  mo- 
ment. 

The  translation  of  the  letter  is  as  follows,  and  is  an  answer  to 
that  which  I  brought: 

To  His  Excellency  the  Goveknor  of  Bombay. 

[After  compliments.] 

" .  .  .  .  The  end  of  my  desire  is  to  know  ever  that  your  excel- 
lency's health  is  good.    As  for  me — your  friend — I  am  very  well. 

"Your  honored  letter,  borne  by  Dr.  Livingstone,  duly  reached 
me,  and  all  that  you  said  about  him  I  understood. 

"I  v/ill  show  him  respect,  give  him  honor,  and  help  him  in  all 
his  affairs;  and  that  I  have  already  done  this,  I  trust  he  will  tell 
you. 


TBE  ZANZIBAR  SLAVE- MARKET. 


21 


"I  hope  you  will  let  me  rest  in  your  heart,  and  that  you  will 
send  ine  many  letters. 

"If  you  need  any  thing  I  shall  be  glad,  and  will  give  it. 

"Your  sincere  friend, 

"Majid  bin  Said. 

"Dated  2d  Shaul,  1282  (February  18th,  186G)." 

March  2d,  1866. — A  northern  dliow  came  in  with  slaves;  when 
this  was  repoi'ted  to  the  Sultan  he  ordered  it  to  be  burned,  and 
we  saw  this  done  from  the  window  of  the  consulate;  but  he  has 
very  little  power  over  Northern  Arabs.  He  has  shown  a  little 
vigor  of  late.  He  wished  to  raise  a  revenue  by  a  charge  of  ten 
per  cent,  on  all  articles  brought  into  town  for  sale ;  but  this  is 
clearly  contrary  to  treaty,  which  provides  that  no  monopoly 
shall  be  permitted,  and  no  dues  save  that  of  five  per  cent,  import 
duty.  The  French  consul  bullies  him:  indeed  the  French  sys- 
tem of  dealing  with  the  natives  is  well  expressed  by  that  word; 
no  wonder  they  can  not  gain  influence  among  them:  the  great- 
est power  they  exercise  is  by  lending  their  flag  to  slaving  dhows, 
so  that  it  covers  that  nefarious  traffic. 

The  stench  arising  from  a  mile  and  a  half  or  two  square  miles 
of  exposed  sea-beach,  which  is  the  general  depository  of  the  filth 
of  the  town,  is  quite  horrible.  At  night  it  is  so  gross  or  crass, 
one  might  cut  out  a  slice  and  manure  a  garden  with  it:  it  might 
be  called  Stinkibar  rather  than  Zanzibar.  No  one  can  long  en- 
joy good  health  here. 

On  visiting  the  slave-market,  I  found  about  three  hundred 
slaves  exposed  for  sale,  the  greater  part  of  whom  came  from  Lake 
Nyassa  and  the  Shire  River;  I  am  so  familiar  with  the  peculiar 
faces  and  markings  or  tattooings,  that  I  expect  them  to  recognize 
me.  Indeed  one  woman  said  that  she  had  heard  of  our  passing 
up  Lake  Nyassa  in  a  boat,  but  she  did  not  .see  me :  others  came 
from  Chipdta,  south-west  of  the  Lake.  All  who  have  grown  up 
seem  asliamed  at  being  hawked  about  for  sale.  The  teeth  are 
examined,  the  cloth  lift(>d  up  to  examine  the  lower  limbs,  and  a 
stick  is  thrown  for  the  slave  to  bring,  and  thus  exhibit  his  paces. 
Some  are  dragged  through  the  crowd  by  the  hand,  and  the  price 
called  out  incessantly:  most  of  the  purchasers  were  Northern 
Arabs  and  Persians.  This  is  the  period  when  tlie  Sultan's  peo- 
ple may  not  carry  slaves  coastwise;  but  they  simply  can  not,  for 
the  wind  is  against  them.  Many  of  the  dhows  leave  for  Mada-  * 
gasscar,  and  thence  come  back  to  comjilctc  their  cargoes. 

The  Arabs  are  said  to  treat  their  slaves  kindly,  and  this  al.>^o 


22 


LIVIXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


may  be  said  of  native  masters;  the  reason  is,  master  and  slave 
partake  of  the  general  indolence,  but  the  lot  of  the  slave  does  not 
improve  with  the  general  progress  in  civilization.  While  no 
great  disparity  of  rank  exists,  his  energies  are  little  tasked ;  but 
when  society  advances,  wants  multiply;  and  to  supply  these  the 
slave's  lot  grows  harder.  The  distance  between  master  and  man 
increases  as  the  lust  of  gain  is  developed;  hence  we  can  hope  for 
no  improvement  in  the  slave's  condition,  unless  the  master  re- 
turns to  or  remains  in  barbarism. 

March  6th. — Rains  have  begun,  now  that  the  sun  is  overhead. 
We  expect  the  Penguin  daily  to  come  from  Johanna  and  take  us 
to  the  Rovuma.  It  is  an  unwholesome  place;  six  of  my  men 
have  fever;  few  retain  health  long;  and  considering  the  lowness 
of  the  island,  and  the  absence  of  sanitary  regulations  in  the  town, 
it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at.  The  Sultan  has  little  power,  being 
only  the  successor  to  the  captain  of  the  horde  of  Arabs  who  came 
down  and  overran  the  island  and  maritime  coasts  of  the  adjacent 
continent.  He  is  called  only  Said  or  Syed,  never  Sultan ;  and 
they  can  boast  of  choosing  a  new  one  if  he  does  not  suit  them. 
Some  coins  were  found  in  digging  here  which  have  Cufic  inscrip- 
tions, and  are  about  nine  hundred  years  old.  The  island  is  low ; 
the  highest  parts  may  not  be  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  above  the  sea;  it  is  of  a  coral  formation,  with  sandstone  con- 
glomerate. Most  of  the  plants  are  African,  but  clove-trees,  man- 
goes, and  cocoa-nut  groves  give  a  luxuriant  South  Sea  island 
look  to  the  whole  scenery. 

We  visited  an  old  man  to-day,  the  richest  in  Zanzibar,  who  is 
to  give  me  letters  to  his  friends  at  Tanganyika,  and  I  am  trying 
to  get  a  depot  of  goods  for  provisions  formed  there,  so  that  when 
I  reach  it  I  may  not  be  destitute. 

March  18th. — I  have  arranged  with  Koorje,  a  Banian,  who 
farms  the  custom-house  revenue  here,  to  send  a  supply  of  beads, 
cloth,  flour,  tea,  coffee,  and  sugar  to  Ujiji,  on  Lake  Tanganyika. 
The  Arab  there,  with  whom  one  of  Koorje's  people  will  remain 
in  charge  of  the  goods,  is  called  Thani  bin  Suelim. 

Yesterday  we  went  to  take  leave  of  the  Sultan,  and  to  thank 
him  for  all  his  kindness  to  me  and  my  men,  which  has  indeed 
been  very  great  lie  offered  me  men  to  go  with  me,  and  another 
letter  if  I  wished  it.    lie  looks  very  ill. 

I  have  received  very  great  kindness  during  my  stay  from  Dr. 
and  Mr.s.  Seward.  Tiiey  have  done  every  thing  for  me  in  their 
power:  may  God  Almighty  return  it  all  abundantly  into  their 
bosoms  in  the  way  that  he  best  can.    Dr.  Seward's  views  of  the 


SAIL  FROM  ZANZIBAR. 


23 


policy  pursued  here  I  have  no  doubt  are  the  right  ones;  in  fact, 
the  only  ones  which  can  be  looked  back  to  with  satisfaction,  or 
that  have  probability  of  success  among  a  race  of  pariah  Arabs. 

The  Penguin  came  a  few  days  ago,  and  Lieutenant  Garforth  in 
command  agrees  to  take  me  down  to  the  Kovuma  River,  and 
land  me  there.  I  have  a  dhow  to  take  my  animals:  six  camels, 
three  buffaloes,  and  a  calf,  two  mules,  and  four  donkeys.  I  have 
thirteen  Sepoys,  ten  Johanna  men,  nine  Nassick  boys,  two  Shu- 
panga  men,  and  two  Waiyaus,  Wakatani  and  Chuma.* 

[It  may  be  well  to  point  out  that  several  of  these  men  had 
previously  been  employed  by  Dr.  Livingstone  on  the  Zambesi 
and  Shire;  thus  Musa,  the  Johanna  man,  was  a  sailor  on  the 
Lady  Kyassa,  while  Susi  and  Amoda  were  engaged  at  Shupanga 
to  cut  wood  for  the  Pioneer.  The  two  Waiyau  lads,  Wakatani 
and  Chuma,  were  liberated  from  the  slavers  by  the  Doctor  and 
Bishop  Mackenzie  in  1861,  and  lived  for  three  years  with  the  Mis- 
sion part}'  at  Chibisa's  before  they  were  engaged  by  Livingstone. 
The  Nassick  lads  were  entire  strangers,  and  were  trained  in  India.] 

March  19tJi. — We  start  this  morning  at  10  A.M.  I  trust  that 
the  Most  High  may  prosper  me  in  this  work,  granting  me  in- 
fluence in  the  eyes  of  the  heathen,  and  helping  me  to  make  my 
intercourse  beneficial  to  them. 

March  22d. — We  reached  Rovuma  Bay  to-day,  and  anchored 
about  two  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  in  five  fathoms.  I 
went  up-  the  left  bank  to  see  if  the  gullies  which  formerly  ran 
into  the  bay  had  altered,  so  as  to  allow  camels  to  cross  them : 
they  seemed  to  have  become  shallower.  There  was  no  wind  for 
the  dhow ;  and  as  for  the  man-of  war  towing  her,  it  was  out  of 
the  question.  On  the  23d  the  cutter  did  try  to  tow  the  dhow, 
but  without  succe.s.s,  as  a  strong  tide  runs  constantly  out  of  the 
river  at  this  season.  A  squall  came  up  from  the  south-east, 
which  would  have  taken  the  dhow  in ;  but  the  master  was  on 
board  the  Pou/uin,  and  said  he  had  no  large  sail.  I  got  him  off 
to  his  vessel,  but  the  wind  died  away  before  we  could  reach  the 
mouth  of  the  river. 

March  24:th. — I  went  to  the  dhow,  and  there  being  no  wind  I 
left  orders  with  the  captain  to  go  up  the  right  bank  should  a 
breeze  arise.  Mr.  Fane,  midshipman,  accompanied  me  up  the 
left  bank  above,  to  see  if  we  could  lead  the  camels  along  in  the 
water.    Near  the  point  where  the  river  first  makes  a  little  bend 


•  Dhow  is  tlie  mime  given  to  the  coasting-vessel  of  Kust  Africa  and  the  Indian 
(Iceiui. 


24 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


to  the  north,  we  landed  and  found  three  formidable  gullies,  and 
jungle  so  thick  with  bush,  date-palms,  twining  bamboo,  and 
hooked  thorns,  that  one  could  scarcely  get  along.  Farther  in- 
land it  was  sticky  mud,  thickly  planted  over  with  mangrove 
roots  and  gullies  in  whose  soft  banks  one  sank  over  the  ankles. 
No  camels  could  have  moved,  and  men  with  extreme  difficul- 
ty might  struggle  through ;  but  we  never  could  have  made  an 
available  road.  We  came  to  a  she-hippopotamus  lying  in  a  ditch, 
which  did  not  cover  her;  Mr.  Fane  fired  into  her  head,  and  she 
was  so  upset  that  she  nearly  fell  backward,  in  plunging  up  the 
opposite  bank :  her  calf  was  killed,  and  was  like  sucking-pig, 
though  in  appearance  as  large  as  a  full-grown  sow. 

We  now  saw  that  the  dhow  had  a  good  breeze,  and  she  came 
up  along  the  right  bank,  and  grounded  at  least  a  mile  from  the 
spot  where  the  mangroves  ceased.  The  hills,  about  two  hundred 
feet  high,  begin  about  two  or  three  miles  above  that,  and  they 
looked  invitingly  green  and  cool.  My  companion  and  I  went 
from  the  dhow  inland,  to  see  if  the  mangroves  gave  wa}^,  to  a 
more  walkable  country ;  but  the  swamp,  covered  over  thickly 
with  mangroves  only,  became  worse  the  farther  we  receded  from 
the  river.  The  whole  is  flooded  at  high  tides;  and  had  we  land- 
ed all  the  men,  we  should  have  been  laid  up  with  fever  ere  we 
could  have  attained  the  higher  land,  which  on  the  right  bank 
bounds  the  line  of  vision,  and  the  first  part  of  which  lies  so  near. 
I  thought  I  had  better  land  on  the  sand  belt  on  the  left  of  Rovu- 
ma  Bay,  and  then  explore  and  get  information  from  the  natives, 
none  of  whom  had  as  yet  come  near  us;  so  I  ordered  the  dhow 
to  come  down  to  the  spot  next  day,  and  went  on  board  the  Pen- 
guin. Lieutenant  Garforth  was  excessively  kind  ;  and  though 
this  is  his  best  time  for  cruising  in  the  north,  he  most  patiently 
agreed  to  wait  and  help  me  to  land. 

March  24:th. — During  the  night  it  occurred  to  me  that  wo 
should  be  in  a  mess  if,  after  exploration  and  information  from 
the  natives,  we  could  find  no  path  ;  and  when  I  mentioned  this, 
Lieutenant  Garforth  suggested  that  we  should  proceed  to  Kilwa; 
so  at  5  A.M.  I  went  up  to  the  dhow  with  Mr.  Fane,  and  told  the 
captain  that  we  were  going  there.  lie  was  loud  in  his  protesta- 
tions against  tliis,  and  strongly  recommended  the  port  of  Mikin- 
dany,  as  quite  near  to  Rovuma,  Nyassa,  and  the  country  I  wished 
to  visit,  besides  being  a  good  landing-place,  and  tlie  finest  port  on 
tlie  coast.  '^Philher  we  went,  and  on  tlie  safne  evening  landed  all 
our  animals  in  Mikindany  Bay,  which  lies  only  twenly-live  miles 
norlii  of  liovunia.    'i^he  P(ii;/iini  then  lefl. 


PRESENT  STATE  OF  THE  ROVUMA. 


25 


The  Rovumar  is  quite  altered  from  what  it  was  when  first  we 
visited  it.  It  is  probable  that  the  freshets  form  banks  inside  the 
mouth,  which  are  washed  out  into  the  deep  bay,  and  this  period- 
ical formation  probably  has  prevented  the  Arabs  from  using  the 
Rovuma  as  a  port  of  shipment.  It  is  not  likely  that  Mr.  !May* 
would  have  made  a  mistake  if  the  middle  were  as  shoal  as  now : 
he  found  soundings  of  three  fathoms  or  more. 

o 


DUow  used  for  traugport  of  Ur.  Liviu;,'8touc'8  (Juiufls. 


March  2o//i. — I  hired  a  hou.se  for  four  dollars  a  month,  and 
landed  all  our  goods  from  the  dhow.  The  bay  gives  off  a  nar- 
row channel,  about  five  hundred  yards  wide  and  two  hundred 
yards  long;  the  middle  is  deep,  but  the  sides  are  coral  reefs  and 
shoal :  the  deep  part  seems  about  one  hundred  yards  wide.  Out- 


♦  The  coinmnndui-  of  II.  .M.  .s.  I'iuiwir  in  IMCl. 


26 


LinXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOmXALS. 


side  in  the  Bay  of  Mikindany  there  is  no  anchorage  except  on 
the  edge  of  the  reef  where  the  Penguin  got  seven  fathoms,  but 
farther  in  it  was  only  two  fathoms.  The  inner  bay  is  called 
Pemba,  not  Pimlea,  as  erroneously  printed  in  the  charts  of  Owen. 
It  is  deep,  and  quite  sheltered ;  another  of  a  similar  round  form 
lies  somewhat  to  the  south ;  this  bay  may  be  two  miles  square. 

The  cattle  are  all  very  much  the  worse  for  being  knock- 
ed about  in  the  dhow.  We  began  to  prepare  saddles  of  a  very 
strong  tree  called  Ntibwd,  which  is  also  used  for  making  the 
hooked  spear  with  which  hippopotami  are  killed — the  hook  is 
very  strong  and  tough;  I  applied  also  for^twenty  carriers,  and 
a  Banian  engaged  to  get  them  as  soon  as  possible.  The  people 
have  no  cattle  here;  they  are  half-caste  Arabs  mostly,  and  quite 
civil  to  us. 

March  2Glh. — A  few  of  the  Nassick  boys  have  the  slave  spirit 
pretty  strongly ;  it  goes  deepest  in  those  who  have  the  darkest 
skins.  Two  Gallah  men  are  the  most  intelligent  and  hard-work- 
ing among  them;  some  look  on  work  with  indifi'erence  when 
others  are  the  actors. 

Now  that  I  am  on  the  point  of  starting  on  another  trip  into 
Africa,  I  feel  quite  exhilarated :  when  one  travels  with  the  spe- 
cific object  in  view  of  ameliorating  the  condition  of  the  natives, 
every  act  becomes  ennobled. 

Whether  exchanging  the  customary  civilities,  or  arriving  at  a 
village,  accepting  a  night's  lodging,  purchasing  food  for  the  par- 
ty, asking  for  information,  or  answering  polite  African  inquiries 
as  to  our  objects  in  traveling,  we  begin  to  spread  a  knowledge  of 
that  people  by  whose  agency  their  land  will  yet  become  enlight- 
ened and  freed  from  the  slave-trade. 

The  mere  animal  pleasure  of  traveling  in  a  wild  unexplored 
country  is  very  great.  When  on  lands  of  a  couple  of  thousand 
feet  elevation,  brisk  exercise  imparts  elasticity  to  the  muscles, 
fresh  and  healthy  blood  circulates  through  the  brain,  the  mind 
works  well,  the  eye  is  clear,  the  step  is  firm,  and  a  day's  exertion 
always  makes  the  evening's  repose  thoroughly  enjoyable. 

We  have  usually  the  stimulus  of  remote  chances  of  danger 
either  from  beasts  or  men.  Our  sympathies  are  drawn  out  to- 
wjird  our  humble  hardy  companions  by  a  community  of  inter- 
ests, and  it  may  be  of  perils,  which  make  us  all  friends.  Noth- 
ing but  the  most  pitiable  puerility  would  lead  any  manly  heart 
to  make  their  inferiority  a  theme  for  self-exaltation;  however, 
that  is  often  done,  as  if  with  the  vague  idea  that  we  can,  by  mag- 
nifying their  deficiencies,  demonstrate  our  immaculate  perfections. 


MIKIXBAyr  HARBOR. 


27 


Tlie  effect  of  travel  on  a  man  whose  heart  is  in  the  right  phice 
is  that  the  mind  is  made  more  self-reliant :  it  becomes  more  con- 
fident of  its  own  resources — there  is  greater  presence  of  mind. 
The  body  is  soon  well-knit;  the  muscles  of  the  limbs  grow  as 
hard  as  a  board,  and  seem  to  have  no  fat;  the  countenance  is 
bronzed,  and  there  is  no  dyspepsia.  Africa  is  a  most  wonderful 
country  for  appetite;  and  it  is  only  when  one  gloats  over  mar- 
row-bones or  elephant's  feet  that  indigestion  is  possible.  No 
doubt  much  toil  is  involved,  and  fatigue  of  wliich  travelers  in 
the  more  temperate  climes  can  form  but  a  faint  conception ;  but 
the  sweat  of  one's  brow  is  no  longer  a  curse  when  one  works  for 
God:  it  proves  a  tonic  to  the  sj^stem,  and  is  actually  a  blessing. 
No  one  can  truly  appreciate  the  charm  of  repose  unless  he  has 
undergone  severe  exertion. 

March  27lh. — The  point  of  land  which  on  the  north  side  of  the 
entrance  to  the  harbor  narrows  it  to  about  three  hundred  yards 
is  alone  called  Pemba;  the  other  parts  have  different  names. 
Looking  northward  from  the  point,  the  first  hundred  yards  has 
ninety  square  houses  of  wattled  daub;  a  ruin  (a  mosque)  has 
been  built  of  lime  and  coral.  The  whole  point  is  coral,  and  the 
soil  is  red,  and  covered  over  with  dense  tropical  vegetation,  in 
which  the  baobab  is  conspicuous.  Dliows  at  present  come  in 
with  ease  by  the  easterly  wind,  which  blows  in  the  evening,  and 
leave  next  morning,  the  land  wind  taking  them  out. 

While  the  camels  and  other  animals  are  getting  over  their  fa- 
tigues and  bad  bruises,  we  are  making  camels'  saddles,  and  re- 
pairing those  of  the  mules  and  buffaloes.  Oysters  abound  on  all 
the  rocks  and  on  the  trees  over  which  the  tide  flows:  they  are 
small,  but  much  relislied  by  the  people. 

The  Arabs  liere  are  a  wretched  lot  physically — thin,  washed- 
out  creatures — many  with  bleared  eyes. 

M'trch  29lIi-S0(li. — Til  is  harbor  has  somewhat  the  shape  of  a 
bent  bow,  or  the  spade  on  a  playing-card,  the  shaft  of  the  arrow 
being  the  entrance  in ;  the  passage  is  very  deep,  but  not  more 
than  one  hundred  yards  wide,  and  it  goes  in  nearlv  south-west; 
inside  it  is  deep  and  quite  secure,  and  protected  from  all  winds. 
The  lands  westward  ri.se  at  once  to  about  two  hundred  feet,  and 
John,  a  hill,  is  the  landmark  by  which  it  is  best  known  in  com- 
ing along  the  coast — so  say  the  Arabs.  The  people  have  no 
cattle,  but  say  there  arc  no  tsetse  flics :  they  have  not  been  long 
here,  i.e.,  under  tlic  present  system;  but  a  ruin  on  the  northern 
peninsula  or  face  of  the  entrance,  built  of  stone  and  lime — Arab 
fjishion,  and  others  on  the  north-west,  show  that  the  place  has 


28 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOVRNALS. 


been  known  and  used  of  old.  The  adjacent  country  has  large 
game  at  different  water  pools,  and  as  the  whole  country  is  some- 
what elevated  it  probably  is  healthy.  There  is  very  little  man- 
grove, but  another  inclosed  piece  of  water  to  the  south  of  this 
probably  has  more.  The  language  of  the  people  here  is  Swaheli; 
they  trade  a  little  in  gum^copal  and  orchilla  weed.  An  agent 
of  the  Zanzibar  custom-house  presides  over  the  customs,  which 
are  very  small,  and  a  jemidar  acknowledging  the  Sultan  is  the 
chief  authority ;  but  the  people  are  little  superior  to  the  natives 
whom  they  have  displaced.  The  jemidar  has  been  very  civil  to 
me,  and  gives  me  two  guides  to  go  on  to  Adonde,  but  no  carriers 
can  be  hired.  Water  is  found  in  wells  in  the  coral  rock  which 
underlies  the  whole  place. 

April  4:th,  1866. — When  about  to  start  from  Pemba,  at  the  en- 
trance to  the  other  side  of  the  bay,  one  of  our  buffaloes  gored  a 
donke}'-  so  badly  that  he  had  to  be  shot:  we  cut  off  the  tips  of 
the  offender's  horns,  on  the  principle  of  "locking  the  stable-door 
when  the  steed  is  stolen,"  and  marched.  We  came  to  level  spots 
devoid  of  vegetation,  and  hard  on  the  surface,  but  a  deposit 
of  water  below  allowed  the  camels  to  sink  up  to  their  bodies 
through  the  crust.  Hauling  them  out,  we  got  along  to  the  jemi- 
dar's  house,  which  is  built  of  coral  and  lime.  Hamesh  was  pro- 
fuse in  his  professions  of  desire  to  serve,  but  gave  a  shabby  hut 
which  let  in  rain  and  wind.  I  slept  one  night  in  it,  and  it  was 
unbearable,  so  I  asked  the  jemidar  to  allow  me  to  sleep  in  his 
court-room,  where  many  of  the  sepoys  were:  he  consented,  but 
when  I  went  refused;  then,  being  an  excitable,  nervous  Arab, 
he  took  fright,  mustered  all  his  men,  amounting  to  about  fifteen, 
with  matchlocks;  ran  off,  saying  he  was  going  to  kill  a  lion: 
came  back,  shook  hands  nervously  with  me,  vowing  it  was  a 
man  who  would  not  .obey  him,  "  it  was  not  you." 

Our  goods  were  all  ont  in  the  street,  bound  on  the  pack-sad- 
dles, sp  at  night  we  took  tlic  ordinary  precaution  of  setting  a 
guard.  This  excited  our  dignitary,  and  after  dark  all  his  men 
were  again  mustered  with  matches  lighted.  I  took  no  notice  of 
him,  and  after  he  had  spent  a  good  deal  of  talk,  which  we  could 
hear,  he  called  Musa  and  asked  what  I  meant.  The  explanations 
of  Musa  had  the  effect  of  sending  him  to  bed;  and  in  the  morn- 
ing, when  I  learned  how  m\ich  I  had  most  unintentionally  dis- 
turbed him,  I  told  him  that  I  was  sorry,  but  it  did  not  occur  to 
me  to  tell  him  about  an  ordinary  precaution  against  thieves.  He 
thought  he  had  given  me  a  crushing  reply  when  he  said  with  ve- 
hemence, "  But  there  aie  no  thieves  here."    1  did  not  know  till 


BOU  ALI  ENLISTED  AS  GUIDE. 


29 


afterward  that  he  and  others  had  done  me  an  ill  turn  in  saying 
that  no  carriers  could  be  hired  from  the  independent  tribes  ad- 
jacent. They  are  low-coast  Arabs,  three-quarters  African,  and, 
as  usual,  possess  the  bad  without  the  good  qualities  of  both  par- 
ents. Many  of  them  came  and  begged  brandy,  and  laughed 
when  they  remarked  that  they  could  drink  it  in  secret  but  not 
openly;. they  have  not,  however,  introduced  it  as  an  article  of 
trade,  as  we  Christians  have  done  on  the  West  Coast. 

April  6th. — We  made  a  short  march  round  to  the  south-west 
side  of  the  Lake,  and  spent  the  night  at  a  village  in  that  direction. 
There  are  si.x  villages  dotted  round  the  inner  harbor,  and  the 
population  may  amount  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  or  three  hun- 
dred souls — coast  Arabs  and  their  slaves;  the  southern  portion 
of  the  harbor  is  deep,  from  ten  to  fourteen  fathoms,  but  the  north- 
western part  is  shoal  and  rocky.  Very  little  is  done  in  the  way 
of  trade ;  some  sorghum,  sem-sem  seed,  gum-copal,  and  orchilla 
weed,  constitute  the  commerce  of  the  port:  I  saw  two  Banian 
traders  settled  here. 

April  llh. — Went  about  south  from  Kindany  with  a  Somalia 
guide,  named  Ben  All  or  Bon  Ali,  a  good-looking,  obliging  man, 
who  was  to  get  twenty  dollars  to  take  us  up  to  Ngomano.  Our 
path  lay  in  a  valley,  with  well-wooded  heights  on  each  side,  but 
the  grass  towered  over  our  heads,  and  gave  the  sensation  of 
smothering,  while  the  sun  beat  down  on  our  heads  very  fiercely, 
and  there  was  not  a  breath  of  air  stirring.  Not  understanding 
camels,  I  had  to  trust  to  the  sepoys,  who  overloaded  them,  and 
before  we  had  accomplished  our  march  of  about  seven  miles  they 
were  kncJcked  up. 

April  8th. — We  spent  the  Sunday  at  a  village  called  Nyaugedi. 
Here  on  the  evening  of  the  7th  of  April  our  buffaloes  and  camels 
were  first  bitten  by  the  tsetse  fly.*  We  had  passed  through  some 
pieces  of  dense  jungle  which,  though  tliey  offc^red  no  obstruction 
to  foot-pa.ssengers,  but  rather  an  agreeable  shade,  had  to  be  cut 
for  the  tall  camels,  and  fortunately  we  found  the  Makondc  of  this 
village  glad  to  engage  themselves  by  tlie  day  cither  as  wood-cut- 
ters or  carriers.  We  had  left  many  tilings  with  the  jemidar,  from 
an  idea  that  no  carriers  could  be  procured.  I  lightened  the 
camels,  and  had  a  party  of  wood-cutters  to  heighten  and  widen 
the  path  in  the  dense  jungle  into  which  wc  now  penetrated. 
Every  now  and  then  we  emerged  on  open  spaces,  where  the  Ma- 

•  Those  will)  have  read  tlic  accounts  Kivcn  hy  African  travelers  w  ill  remeniher  that 
the  biles  intiieied  hy  two  or  tliree  of  these  sitiall  flies  will  iisiially  lav  the  foinulatioii 
of  a  sickness  which  destroys  oxen,  horses,  nnd  dogs  in  u  few  weeks. 


30 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


konde  have  cleared  gardens  for  sorghum,  maize,  and  cassava. 
The  people  were  very  much  more  taken  up  with  the  camels  and 
buffaloes  than  with  me.  They  are  all  independent  of  each  other, 
and  no  paramount  chief  exists.  Their  foreheads  may  be  called 
compact,  narrow,  and  rather  low;  the  alee  nasi  expanded  lateral- 
ly; lips  full,  not  excessively  thick;  limbs  and  body  well  formed  ; 
hands  and  feet  small ;  color  dark  and  light-brown  ;  height  middle 
size,  and  bearing  independent. 

April  10(h. — We  reached  a  village  called  Karri,  lat.  10°  23' 
14"  S.  Many  of  the  men-  had  touches  of  fever.  I  gave  medicine 
to  eleven  of  them,  and  next  morning  all  were  better.  Food  is 
abundant  and  cheap.  Our  course  is  nearly  south,  and  in  "wadys," 
from  which,  following  the  trade-road,  we  often  ascend  the  heights, 
and  then  from  the  villages,  which  are  on  the  higher  land,  we  de- 
scend to  another  on  the  same  wady.  No  running  water  is  seen ; 
the  people  depend  on  wells  for  a  supply. 

Aj)ril  11th. — At  Tandahara  we  were  still  ascending  as  we  went 
south ;  the  soil  is  very  fertile,  with  a  good  admixture  of  sand  in 
it,  but  no  rocks  are  visible.  Very  heavy  crops  of  maize  and 
sorghum  are  raised,  and  the  cassava  bushes  are  seven  feet  in 
height.  The  bamboos  are  cleared  off  them,  spread  over  the  space 
to  be  cultivated  and  burned  to  serve  as  manure.  Iron  is  very 
scarce,  for  many  of  the  men  appear  with  wooden  spears;  they 
find  none  here,  but  in  some  spots  where  an  ooze  issued  from  the 
soil  iron-rnst  appeared.  At  each  of  the  villages  where  w^e  spent 
a  night  we  presented  a  fathom  of  calico,  and  the  head  man  always 
gave  a  fowl  or  two,  and  a  basket  of  rice  or  maize.  The  Makondd 
dialect  is  quite  different  from  Swaheli,  but  from  their  intercourse 
with  the  coast  Arabs  many  of  the  people  here  have  acquired  a 
knowledge  of  Swaheli. 

April  12ih. — On  starting  we  found  the  jungle  so  dense  that  the  . 
people  thought  "there  was  no  cutting  it:"  it  continued  upward 
of  three  miles.  The  trees  are  not  large,  but  so  closely  planted 
together  that  a  great  deal  of  labor  was  required  to  widen  and 
heighten  the  path :  where  bamboos  prevail  they  have  starved  out 
the  woody  trees.  The  reason  why  the  trees  arc  not  large  is  be- 
cause all  the  spaces  we  passed  over  were  formerly  garden  ground 
before  the  Makondc  had  been  thinned  by  the  slave-trade.  As 
.soon  as  a  garden  is  deserted,  a  thick  crop  of  trees  of  the  same 
sorts  as  those  formerly  cut  down  springs  up,  and  here  the  process 
of  woody  trees  starving  out  their  fellows,  and  occupying  the  land 
without  dense  scrub  below,  has  not  had  time  to  work  itself  out. 
Many  are  mere  poles,  and  so  intertwined  with  climbers  as  to  pre- 

4 


AX  AFRICAN  COAST  JUNGLE. 


31 


sent  the  appearance  of  a  ship's  ropes  and  cables  shaken  in  among 
them,  and  many  have  woody  stems  as  thiols  as  an  eleven-inch 
hawser.  One  species  may  be  likened  to  the  scabbard  of  a  dra- 
goon's sword,  but  along  the  middle 
of  the  flat  side  runs  a  ridge  from 
which  springs  up  every  few  inches 
a  bunch  of  inch-long  straight  sharp 
thorns.  It  hangs  straight  for  a 
couple  of  yards,  but  as  if  it  could 
not  give  its  thorns  a  fair  chance  of 
mischief,  it  suddenly  bends  on  it- 
self, and  all  its  cruel  points  are  now 
at  right  angles  to  what  they  were 
before.  Darwin's  observation  shows 
a  great  deal  of  what  looks  like  instinct  in  these  climbers.  This 
species  seems  to  be  eager  for  mischief;  its  tangled  limbs  hang 
out  ready  to  inflict  injury  on  all  passers-by.  Another  climber 
is  so  tough  it  is  not  to  be  broken  by  the  fingers ;  another  ap- 
pears at  its  root  as  a  young  tree,  but  it  has  the  straggling  hab- 
its of  its  class,  as  may  be  seen  by  its  cords  stretched  some  fifty 
or  sixty  feet  off;  it  is  often  two  inches  in  diameter;  you  cut  it 
through  at  one  part  and  find  it  re-appear  forty  yards  oil". 

Another  climber  is  like  the  leaf  of  an  aloe,  but  convoluted  as 
strangely  as  shavings  from  the  plane  of  a  carpenter.  It  is  dark 
green  in  color,  and  when  its  bark  is  taken  off'  it  is  beautifully 
striated  beneath,  lighter  and  darker  green,  like  the  rings  of  growth 
on  wood;  still  another  is  a  thin  string  with  a  succession  of  large 
knobs,  and  another  has  its  bark  pinched  up  all  round  at  intervals 
so  as  to  present  a  great  many  cutting  edges.  One  sort  need 
scarcely  be  mentioned,  in  which  all  along  its  length  are  strong 
bent  hooks,  placed  in  a  way  that  will  hold  one  if  it  can  but  grap- 
ple with  him,  for  that  is  very  common  and  not  like  those  mention- 
ed, which  the  rather  seem  to  be  stragglers  from  the  carbonifer- 
ous period  of  geologists,  when  Pachydermata  wriggled  unscathed 
among  tangled  masses  wor.sc  than  these.  We  em{)loycd  about 
ten  jolly  young  Makondc  to  deal  with  these  prehistoric  plants  in 
their  own  way,  for  they  are  accustomed  to  clearing  spaces  for 
gardens,  and  went  at  the  work  with  a  will,  using  tomahawks  well 
adapted  for  the  work.  They  whittled  away  right  manfully,  tak- 
ing an  axe  when  any  trees  had  to  be  cut.  Their  pay,  arranged 
beforehand,  was  to  be  one  yard  of  calico  per  day  :  this  is  not  much, 
seeing  we  are  still  so  near  the  sea-coast.  Climbers  and  young 
trees  melted  before  them  like  a  cloud  before  the  sun  I  A[any 


32 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


more  would  have  worked  than  we  employed,  but  we  used  the 
precaution  of  taking  the  names  of  those  engaged.    The  tall  men 
became  exhausted  soonest,  while  the  shorter  men  worked  vigor- 
ously still;  but  a  couple  of  days'  hard  work 
seemed  to  tell  on  the  best  of  them.     It  is 
^   doubtful  if  any  but  meat-eating  people  can 
stand  long- continued  labor  without  exhaus- 
tion :   the  Chinese  may  be  an  exception. 
When  French  navvies  were  first  employed, 
they  could  not  do  a  tithe  of  the  work  of  our 

Tomahawk  and  Axe.       —-^  i^i        ^itti         i  c 

English  ones;  but  wheu  the  l^rench  were  led 
in  the  same  style  as  the  English,  they  performed  equally  well. 
Here  the  Makonde  have  rarely  the  chance  of  a  good  feed  of 
meat:  it  is  only  when  one  of  them  is  fortunate  enough  to  spear 
a  wild  hog  or  an  antelope  that  they  know  this  luxury  ;  if  a  fowl 
is  eaten,  they  get  but  a  taste  of  it  with  their  porridge. 

April  ISih.  —  We  now  began  to  descend  the  northern  slope 
down  to  the  Rovuma,  and  a  glimpse  could  occasionally  be  had 
of  the  country  ;  it  seemed  covered  with  great  masses  of  dark  green 
forest,  but  the  undulations  occasionally  looked  like  hills,  and  here 
and  there  a  Stcrculia  had  put  on  yellow  foliage  in  anticipation  of 
the  coming  winter.  More  frequently  our  vision  was  circumscribed 
to  a  few  yards  till  our  merry  wood-cutters  made  for  us  the  pleas- 
ant scene  of  a  long  vista  fit  for  camels  to  pass.  As  a  whole,  the 
jungle  would  have  made  the  authors  of  the  natty  little  hints  to 
travelers  smile  at  their  own  productions;  good  enough,  perhaps, 
where  one  has  an  open  country  with  trees  and  hills,  by  which  to 
take  bearings,  estimate  distances,  see  that  one  point  is  on  the 
same  latitude,  another  on  the  same  longitude  with  such  another, 
and  all  to  be  laid  down  fair  and  square  with  protractor  and  com: 
pass;  but  so  long  as  we  remained  within  the  vegetation  that  is 
fed  by  the  moisture  from  the  Indian  Ocean,  the  steamy,  smother- 
ing air,  and  dank,  rank,  luxuriant  vegetation  made  me  feel,  like 
it,  struggling  for  existence,  and  no  more  capable  of  taking  bear- 
ings than  if  I  had  been  in  a  hogshead  and  observing  through  the 
bung-hole ! 

An  old  Monyinko  head  man  presented  a  goat  and  a.skcd  if  the 
.sepoys  wished  to  cut  its  throat:  the  Johannees,  being  of  a  dilfer- 
(!nt  sect  of  Mohammedans,  wanted  to  cut  it  in  some  other  way 
than  their  Indian  co-religionists:  then  ensued  a  fierce  dispute  as 
to  who  was  of  the  right  sort  of  Moslem  I  It  was  interesting  to 
see  that  not  Christians  alone,  but  other  nations,  feci  keenly  oti 
religious  subjects.  • 


THE  AXIMALS  OVERLOADED. 


33 


I  saw  rocks  of  gray  sandstone  like  (that  which  overlies  coal) 
and  the  Koviirna  in  the  distance.  Didi  is  the  name  of  a  village 
whose  head  man,  Chombokea,  is  said  to  be  a  doctor;  all  the  head 
men  pretend  or  are  really  doctors;  however  one,  Fundindomba, 
came  after  me  for  medicine  for  himself 

April  14:th. — To-day  we  succeeded  in  reaching  the  Eovuma, 
where  some  very  red  cliffs  appear  on  the  opposite  heights,  and 
close  by  where  it  is  marked  on  the  map  that  the  Pioneer  turned 
back  in  1861.    Here  we  rested  on  Sunday,  loth. 

Ai)ril  W(h. — Our  course  now  lay  westward,  along  the  side  of 
that  ragged  outline  of  table-land,  which  we  had  formerly  seen 
from  the  river  as  flanking  both  sides.  There  it  appeared  a  range 
of  hills  shutting  in  Rovuma,  here  we  had  spurs  jutting  out  toward 
the  river,  and  valleys  retiring  from  a  mile  to  three  miles  inland. 
Sometimes  we  wended  our  way  round  them,  sometimes  rose  over 
and  descended  their  western  sides,  and  then  a  great  deal  of  wood- 
cutting was  required.  The  path  is  not  straight,  but  from  one  vih 
lage  to  another.  We  came  perpetually  on  gardens,  and  remarked 
that  rice  was  sown  among  the  other  grain  ;  there  must  be  a  good 
deal  of  moisture  at  other  times  to  admit  of  this  succeeding:  at 
present  the  crops  were  suffering  for  want  of  rain.  We  could  pur- 
chase plenty  of  rice  for  the  sepoys,  and  well  it  was  so,  for  the 
supply  which  was  to  last  till  we  arrived  at  Ngoniano  was  finish- 
ed on  the  13th.  An  old  doctor,  with  our  food  awaiting,  pre- 
sented me  with  two  large  bags  of  rice,  and  his  wife  husked  it 
for  us. 

April  17/A. — I  had  to  leave  the  camels  in  the  hands  of  the  se- 
poys: I  ordered  them  to  bring  as  little  luggage  as  possible,  and 
the  havildar  assured  me  that  two  buffiiloes  were  amply  sufficient 
to  carry  all  they  would  bring.  I  now  find  that  they  have  more 
than  full  loads  for  two  buffaloes,  two  mules,  and  two  donkeys; 
but  when  these  animals  fall  down  under  them,  they  assure  me 
with  so  much  positivencss  that  thoy  are  not  overloaded,  that  I 
have  to  be  silent,  or  only,  as  I  have  several  times  done  before, 
express  the  opinion  that  they  will  kill  these  animals.  This  ob- 
servation on  my  part  leads  them  to  hide  their  things  in  the  packs 
of  the  camels,  which  also  are  overburdened.  I  fear  that  my  ex- 
periment with  the  tsetse  will  be  vitiated,  but  no  symptoms  yet 
occur  in  any  of  the  camels  except  weariness.*  The  sun  is  very 
sharp;  it  scorches.    Nearly  all  the  sepoys  had  fever,  but  it  is 


*  Dr.  LivinRstonc  was  nnxious  to  try  ciitnels  nnd  Indian  tjiidiiloos  in  n  tsetse  coun- 
try to  see  the  eircct  iipon  tlictn. 

'6 


34 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


easily  cured;  they  never  required  to  stop  marching,  and  we  can 
not  make  over  four  or  five  miles  a  day,  which  movement  aids  in 
the  cure.  In  all  cases  of  fever,  removal  from  the  spot  of  attack 
should  be  made:  after  the  fever  among  the  sepoys,  the  Nassick 
boys  took  their  turn  along  with  the  Johannees. 

April  18th. — Ben  Ali  misled  us  away  up  to  the  north  in  spite 
of  my  protest;  when  we  turned  in  that  direction,  he  declared  that 
was  the  proper  path.  We  had  much  wood-cutting,  and  found 
that  our  course  that  day  and  next  was  to  enable  him  to  visit  and 
return  from  one  of  his  wives — a  comely  Makonde  woman !  He 
brought  her  to  call  on  me,  and  I  had  to  be^  polite  to  the  lady, 
though  we  lost  a  day  by  the  zigzag.  This  is  one  way  by  which 
the  Arabs  gain  influence ;  a  great  many  very  light-colored  peo- 
ple are  strewed  among  the  Makonde,  but  only  one  of  these  had 
the  Arab  hair.  On  asking  Ali  whether  any  attempts  had  been 
made  by  Arabs  to  convert  those  with  whom  they  enter  into  such 
intimate  relationships,  he  replied  that  the  Makonde  had  no  idea 
of  a  deity  —  no  one  could  teach  them,  though  Makonde  slaves 
when  taken  to  the  coast  and  elsewhere  were  made  Mohammedans. 
Since  the  slave-trade  was  introduced  this  tribe  has  much  dimin- 
ished in  numbers,  and  one  village  makes  war  upon  another  and 
kidnaps,  but  no  religious  teaching  has  been  attempted.  The 
Arabs  come  down  to  the  native  ways,  and  make  no  efforts  to 
raise  the  natives  to  theirs;  it  is  better  that  it  is  so,  for  the  coast 
Arab's  manners  and  morals  would  be  no  improvement  on  the  pa- 
gan African  ! 

April  19th. — We  were  led  up  over  a  hill  again,  and  on  to  the 
level  of  the  plateau  (where  the  evaporation  is  greater  than  in  the 
valley),  and  tasted  water  of  an  agreeable  coldness  for  the  first 
time  this  journey.  The  people,  especially  the  women,  are  very 
rude,  and  the  men  very  eager  to  be  employed  as  wood-cutters. 
Very  merry  they  are  at  it,  and  every  now  and  then  one  raises  a 
cheerful  shout,  in  which  all  join.  I  suppose  they  are  urged  on 
by  a  desire  to  please  their  wives  with  a  little  clothing.  The  high- 
er up  the  Kovuma  we  ascend,  the  people  are  more  and  more  tat- 
tooed on  the  face,  and  on  all  parts  of  the  body.  The  teeth  are 
filed  to  points,  and  huge  lip-rings  are  worn  by  the  women;  .some 
few  ^fabcha  men  from  the  south  side  of  the  river  have  lip-rings  too. 

April  20///. — A  Johanna  man  .allowed  the  camels  to  trespass 
and  destro}'  a  man's  tobacco-patch:  the  owner  would  not  allow 
us  after  this  to  pass  through  his  rice-field,  in  which  the  route  lay. 
I  examined  the  damage,  and  made  the  JoluDina  man  pay  a  yard 
of  calico  for  it,  which  set  matters  all  right. 


LEOPARD'S  FLESH  UNCLEAN. 


35 


Tsetse  are  biting  the  buffaloes  again.  Elephants,  hippopotami, 
and  pigs  are  the  only  game  here,  but  we  see  none :  the  tsetse  feed 
on  tliem.  In  the  low  meadow  land,  from  one  to  three  miles 
broad,  which  lies  along  both  banks,  we  have  brackish  pools,  and 
one,  a  large  one,  which  we  passed,  called  Wrongwe,  had  much 
fish,  and  salt  is  got  from  it. 

A2)ril  21st. — After  a  great  deal  of  cutting  we  reached  the  val- 
ley of  Mehambwe  to  spend  Sunday,  all  glad  that  it  had  come 
round  again.  Here  some  men  came  to  our  camp  from  Ndonde, 
who  report  that  an  invasion  of  Mazitu  had  three  months  ago 
swept  away  all  the  food  out  of  the  country,  and  they  are  now 
obliged  to  send  in  every  direction  for  provisions.  When  salut- 
ing, they  catch  each  other's  hands  and  say,  "Ai !  Ai !"  but  the 
general  mode  (introduced  probably  by  the  Arabs)  is  to  take 
hold  of  the  right  hand,  and  say,  "Marhaba"  (welcome). 

A  wall-ej'ed,  ill-looking  fellow,  who  helped  to  urge  on  the  at- 
tack on  our  first  visit  in  1861,  and  the  man  to  whom  I  gave 
cloth  to  prevent  a  collision,  came  about  us  disguised  in  a  jacket. 
I  knew  him  well,  but  said  nothing  to  him.* 

April  23d. — When  we  marched  this  morning  we  passed  the 
spot  where  an  animal  had  been  burned  in  the  fire,  and  on  inquiry 
I  found  that  it  is  the  custom  when  a  leopard  is  killed  to  take  off 
the  skin  and  consume  the  carcass  thus,  because  the  Makoiide  do 
not  eat  it.  The  reason  they  gave  for  not  eating  flesh  which  is 
freely  eaten  by  other  tribes,  is  that  the  leopard  devours  men; 
this  shows  the  opposite  of  an  inclination  to  cannibalism. 

All  the  rocks  we  had  seen  showed  that  the  plateau  consists  of 
gray  sandstone,  capped  by  a  ferruginous  sandy  conglomerate. 
We  now  came  to  blocks  of  silicified  wood  lying  on  the  surface; 
it  is  so  like  recent  wood,  that  no  one  who  has  not  handled  it 
would  conceive  it  to  be  stone  and  not  wood;  the  outer  surface 
preserves  the  grain  or  woody  fibre,  the  inner  is  generally  silica. 

Bufi'aloes  bitten  by  tsetse  again  show  no  bad  effects  from  it: 
one  mule  is,  however,  dull  and  out  of  liealth  ;  I  thought  that  this 
might  be  the  effect  of  the  bite,  till  I  found  that  his  back  was  .so 
strained  that  he  could  not  stoop  to  drink,  and  could  only  eat  the 
tops  of  the  grasses.  An  ox  would  have  been  ill  in  two  days  af- 
ter the  biting  on  the  7lli. 

A  carrier  stole  a  shirt,  and  went  off  unsuspected;  when  the 
lo.ss  was  ascertained,  the  man's  companions  tracked  him  with  Ben 


•  This  refers  to  an  nttnck  miule  upon  the  l)o«ts  of  llio  Pinwer  wlicii  ilu- Doctor  was 
exploring  tlio  Iliver  liovuniu  in  ISGl. 


36 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Ali  by  night,  got  him  in  bis  but,  and  then  collected  the  bead 
men  of  the  village,  who  fined  him  about  four  times  the  value  of 
what  had  been  stolen.  Tliey  came  back  in  the  morning  without 
seeming  to  think  that  they  had  done  aught  to  be  commended; 
this  was  the  only  case  of  theft  we  bad  noticed,  and  the  treatment 
showed  a  natural  sense  of  justice. 

April  24:th. — We  bad  showers  occasionally,  but  at  night  all 
the  men  were  under  cover  of' screens.  The  fevers  were  speedi- 
ly cured ;  no  day  was  lost  by  sickness,  but  we  could  not  march 
more  than  a  few  miles,  owing  to  the  slowness  of  the  sepoys;  they 
are  a  heavy  drag  on  us,  and. of  no  possible  use,  except  when  act- 
as  sentries  at  ni^ht. 

When  in  the  way  between  Kendany  and  Rovuma,  I  observed 
a  plant  here,  called  Mandare,  the  root  of  which  is  in  taste  and  ap- 
pearance like  a  waxy  potato;  I  saw  it  once  before  at  the  falls 
below  the  Barotse  Valley,  in  the  middle  of  the  continent;  it  had 
been  brought  there  by  an  emigrant,  who  led  out  the  water  for 
irrigation,  and  it  still  maintained  its  place  in  the  soil.  Would 
this  not  prove  valuable  in  the  soil  of  India?  I  find  that  it  is 
not  cultivated  farther  up  the  country  of  the  Makonde,  but  I  shall 
get  Ali  to  secure  some  for  Bombay. 

April  2bth. — A  serpent  bit  Jack,  our  dog,  above  the  eye ;  the 
upper  eyelid  swelled  very  much,  but  no  other  symptoms  appear- 
ed, and  next  day  all  swelling  was  gone;  the  serpent  was  either 
harmless,  or  the  quantity  of  poison  injected  very  small.  The 
pace  of  the  camels  is  distressingly  slow,  and  it  suits  the  sepoys 
to  make  it  still  slower  than  natural  by  sitting  down  to  smoke  and 
eat.    The  grass  is  high,  and  ground  under  it  damp  and  steamy. 

April  2&th. — On  the  25th  we  reached  Narri,  and  resolved  to 
wait  the  next  day  and  buy  food,  as  it  is  not  so  plentiful  in  front; 
the  people  are  eager  traders  in  meal,  fowls,  eggs,  and  honey;  the 
women  are  very  rude.  Yesterday  I  caught  a  sepo}'-,  Pando,  be- 
laboring a  camel  with  a  big  stick  as  thick  as  any  part  of  his  arm  ; 
the  path  being  narrow,  it  could  not  get  out  of  his  way.  I  shout- 
ed to  him  to  desist;  he  did  not  know  I  was  in  sight;  to-day  the 
effect  of  the  bad  usage  is  seen  in  the  animal  being  quite  unable 
to  move  its  leg:  inflammation  has  set  up  in  the  hip-joint.  I  am 
afraid  that  several  bruises  which  have  festered  on  the  rvxmcls,  and 
were  to  me  unaccountable,  have  been  willfully  bestowed.  This 
same  Pando  and  another  left  Zanzibar  drunk :  ho  then  stole  a  pair 
of  .socks  from  me,  and  has  otherwise  been  perfectly  useless;  even  a 
pimple  on  liis  leg  was  an  excuse  for  doing  nothing  for  many  days. 
W e  Iiad  to  leave  this  camel  at  Narri  under  charge  of  the  head  man. 


I 

THE  MAKONDE  belief.  37 

* 

April  28(h. — The  hills  on  the  north  now  retire  out  of  our  sight. 
A  gap  in  the  southern  plateau  gives  passage  to  a  small  river, 
which  arises  in  a  lakelet  of  some  size  eight  or  ten  miles  inland : 
the  river  and  lakelet  are  both  called  Nangadi ;  the  latter  is  so 
broad  that  men  can  not  be  distinguished,  even  by  the  keen  eyes 
of  the  natives  on  the  other  side  :  it  is  very  deep,  and  abounds  in 
large  fisli :  the  people  who  live  there  are  Mabiha.  A  few  miles 
above  this  gap  the  southern  highland  falls  away,  and  there  are 
lakelets  on  marshes,  also  abounding  in  fish  ;  an  uninhabited  space 
next  succeeds,  and  then  we  have  the  Mutambwe  country,  which 
extends  up  to  Ngomano.  The  Matambwe  seem  to  be  a  branch 
of  the  Makond^),  and  a  very  large  one:  their  country  extends  a 
long  way  south,  and  is  well  stocked  with  elephants  and  gum-co- 
pal-trees. 

They  speak  a  language  slightly  different  from  that  of  the 
Makonde,  but  they  understand  them.  The  Matambwe  women 
are,  according  to  Ali,  very  dark,  but  very  comely,  though  they 
do  wear  the  li[)-ring.  They  carry  their  ivory,  gum-copal,  and 
slaves  to  Ibo  or  Wibo. 

April  29lh. — We  spend  Sunday,  the  29th,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rovuma,  at  a  village  called  Nacliuchu,  nearly  opposite  Kona- 
yumba,  the  first  of  the  Matambwe,  whose  chief  is  called  Kimbem- 
h6.  Ali  draws  a  very  dark  picture  of  the  Makonde.  He  says 
they  know  nothing  of  a  Deity  ;  they  pray  to  their  mothers  when 
in  distress  or  dying;  know  nothing  of  a  future  state,  nor  have 
they  any  religion  except  a  belief  in  medicine;  and  every  head 
man  is  a  doctor.  No  Arab  lias  ever  tried  to  convert  them,  but 
occasionally  a  slave  taken  to  tlie  coast  has  been  circumcised  in 
order  to  be  clean  ;  some  of  them  pray,  and  say  they  know  not  the 
ordeal  or  muavd.  The  Nassick  boys  filled  me  when  I  tried  to 
communicate  some  knowledge  through  them.  They  say  they  do 
not  understand  the  Makondd  language,  though  some  told  me  that 
they  came  from  Ndondc's,  which  is  the  head -quarters  of  the 
Makonde.  Ali  says  that  the  Makonde  bhmie  witches  for  disease 
and  death;  when  one  of  a  village  dies,  the  whole  population  de- 
parts, saying  "that  is  a  bad  s|)ot."  They  are  said  to  have  been 
notorious  for  fines,  but  an  awe  has  come  over  them  ;  and  no  com- 
plaints have  been  made,  tliougli  our  animals,  in  jiassing  the  gar- 
dens, have  broken  a  good  deal  of  corn.  Ali  says  they  fear  the 
English.  Tills  is  an  answer  to  my  prayer  for  influence  on  the 
minds  of  th(!  heathen.  I  regret  that  T  can  not  speak  to  them 
that  good  of  His  name  which  I  ouglit. 

I  went  with  the  Makonde  to  see  a  specimen  of  the  gum-copal- 


38 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


tree  in  the  vicinity  of  this  village.  The  leaves  are  in  pairs,  glossy 
green,  with  the  veins  a  little  raised  on  both  face  and  back ;  the 
smaller  branches  diverge  from  the  same  point:  the  fruit,  of 
which  we  saw  the  shells,  seems  to  be  a  nut;  some  animal  had, 
in  eating  them,  cut  them  through.  The  bark  of  the  tree  is  of  a 
light  ash  color;  the  gum  was  oozing  from  the  bark  at  wounded 
places,  and  it  drops  on  the  ground  from  branches;  it  is  thus  that 
insects  are  probably  imbedded  in  the  gum-copal.  The  people 
dig  in  the  vicinity  of  modern  trees  in  the  belief  that  the  more  an- 
cient trees  which  dropped  their  gum  before  it  became  an  article 
of  commerce  must  have  stood  there.    "In  digging,  none  may  be 


Carvctl  Docir,  Zanzibar. 


found  on  one  day,  but  God  (Mungu)  may  give  it  to  us  on  the 
next.''  To  this  all  the  Makondd  present  assented,  and  showed 
me  the  consciousness  of  His  existence  was  present  in  their  minds. 
The  Makondd  get  the  gum  in  large  quantities,  and  this  attracts 
the  coast  Arabs,  who  remain  a  long  time  in  the  country  pur- 
chasing it.  Hernia  hnmoralis  abounds;  it  is  a.scribcd  to  beer- 
drinking. 

April  30lh.  —  Many  ulcers  burst  forth  on  the  canicls;  sonic 
seem  old  dhow  bruises.  They  come  back  from  pasture,  bleeding 
in  a  way  that  no  rubbing  against  a  tree  would  account  for.  1 
am  .sorry  to  suspect  foul  i)lay :  the  buffaloes  and  mules  arc  badly 
used,  but  I  can  not  be  always  near  to  prevent  it. 


BUFFALOES  AGAIN  BITTEN. 


39 


Bhang*  is  not  smoked,  but  tobacco  is:  the  people  have  no 
sheep  or  goats;  only  fowls,  pigeons,  and  Muscovy  ducks  are 
seen.  Honey  is  very  cheap ;  a  good  large  pot  of  about  a  gallon, 
with  four  fowls,  was  given  for  two  yards  of  calico.  Buffaloes 
again  bitten  by  tsetse,  and  by  another  fly  exactly  like  the  house- 
fly, but  having  a  straight  hard  proboscis  instead  of  a  soft  one; 
other  large  flies  make  the  blood  run.  The  tsetse  does  not  dis- 
turb the  buffaloes,  but  these  others  and  the  smaller  flies  do.  The 
tsetse  seem  to  like  the  camel  best;  from  these  they  are  gorged 
with  blood ;  they  do  not  seem  to  care  for  the  mules  and  donkeys. 


*  A  species  of  hemp. 


40 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Effect  of  Pioneer's  former  Visit. — Tlie  Poodle  Chitane. — Result  of  Tsetse  Bites. — 
Death  of  Csmiels  and  Buffaloes. — Disafiection  of  Followers. — Disputed  Right  of 
Ferry. — Mazitu  Raids. — An  old  Friend. — Severe  Privations. — The  River  Loendi. 
■ — Sepoys  mutiny. — Dr.  Rosclier. — Desolation. — Tattooing.^ — Ornamental  Teeth. — 
Singular  Custom. — Death  of  the  Nassick  Boy,  Richard. — A  sad  Reminiscence. 

3fay  1st,  1866. — We  now  came  along  thro.ugh  a  country  com- 
paratively free  of  wood,  and  we  could  move  on  without  perpetual 
cutting  and  clearing.  It  is  beautiful  to  get  a  good  glimpse  out 
on  the  surrounding  scenery,  though  it  still  seems  nearly  all  cov- 
ered with  great  masses  of  umbrageous  foliage  mostly  of  a  dark 
green  color,  for  nearly  all  of  the  individual  trees  possess  dark 
glossy  leaves  like  laurel.  We  passed  a  gigantic  specimen  of  the 
Kumbe,  or  gum -copal- tree.  Kuniba  means,  to  dig.  Chang- 
kumbe,  or  things  dug,  is  the  name  of  the  gum ;  the  Arabs  call  it 
"  sandaruse.''  Did  the  people  give  the  name  Kumbc  to  the  tree 
after  the  value  of  the  gum  became  known  to  them  ?  The  Malole, 
from  the  fine-grained  wood  of  which  all  the  bows  are  made,  had 
shed  its  fruit  on  the  ground ;  it  looks  inviting  to  the  eye — an  ob- 
long peach-looking  thing,  with  a  number  of  seeds  inside,  but  it 
is  eaten  by  maggots  only. 

When  we  came  to  Ntande's  village,  we  found  it  inclo.sed  in 
a  strong  stockade,  from  a  fear  of  attack  by  Mabiha,  who  come 
across  the  river  and  steal  their  women  when  going  to  draw  wa- 
ter: this  is  for  the  Ibo  market.  They  offered  to  pull  down  their 
stockade  and  let  us  in  if  we  would  remain  overnight,  but  we 
declined.  Before  reaching  Ntandd  we  passed  the  ruins  of  two 
villages;  the  owners  were  the  attacking  party  when  we  ascended 
the  Kovuma  in  1802.  I  have  still  the  old  sail,  with  four  bullet- 
holes  tlirough  it,  made  by  the  shots  which  they  fired  after  we 
had  given  cloth  and  got  assurances  of  friendship.  The  father 
and  son  of  this  village  were  the  two  men  seen  by  the  second 
boat  preparing  to  shoot;  the  fire  of  licr  crew  struck  the  father 
on  tlie  chin  and  the  son  on  the  head.  It  may  have  been  for  the 
best  tliat  the  English  are  thus  known  as  ))(;ople  wlio  can  hit  hard 
when  unjustly  attacked,  as  we  on  this  occasion  most  certainlv 
were:  never  was  a  murderous  assault  more  unjustly  made  or  less 


EI2fDNESS  OF  NATIVES. 


41 


provoked.  They  had  left  their  villages  and  gone  up  over  the 
highlands  away  from  the  river  to  their  ambush  while  their  wom- 
en came  to  look  at  iis. 

May  2d.  —  Mountains  again  approach  us,  and  we  pass  one 
which  was  noticed  in  our  first  ascent,  from  its  resemblance  to  a 
table-mountain.  It  is  six  or  eight  hundred  feet  higli,  and  called 
Liparu :  the  plateau  now  becomes  mountainous,  giving  forth  a 
perennial  stream  which  comes  down  from  its  western  base,  and 
forms  a  lagoon  on  the  meadow -land  that  flanks  the  Rovunia. 
The  trees  which  love  these  perpetual  streams  spread  their  roots 
all  over  the  surface  of  the  boggy  banks,  and  make  a  firm  surface, 
but  at  spots  one  may  sink  a  yard  deep.  We  had  to  fill  up  these 
deep  ditches  with  branches  and  leaves,  unload  the  animals,  and 
lead  them  across.  We  spent  the  night  on  the  banks  of  the  Li- 
paru,* and  then  proceeded  on  our  way. 

May  3d. — We  rested  in  a  Makoa  village,  the  head  of  which 
was  an  old  woman.  The  Makoa  or  Makoane  are  known  by  a 
half-moon  figure  tattooed  on  their  foreheads  or  elsewhere.  Our 
poodle-dog  Cliitane  chased  the  dogs  of  this  village  with  unrelent- 
nig  fury.  His  fierce  looks  inspired  terror  among  the  wretched 
pariah  dogs  of  a  yellow  and  white  color,  and  those  looks  were 
entirely  owing  to  its  being  difficult  to  distinguish  at  which  end 
his  head  or  tail  lay.  He  enjoyed  the  chase  of  the  yelping  curs 
immensely  ;  but  if  one  of  them  had  turned  he  would  have  bolted 
the  other  way. 

A  motherly-looking  woman  came  forward  and  offered  me  some 
meal ;  this  was  when  we  were  in  the  act  of  departing:  others  had 
given  food  to  the  men,  and  no  return  had  been  made.  I  told  her 
to  send  it  on  by  her  husband,  and  I  would  purchase  it,  but  it 
would  have  been  better  to  have  accepted  it:  some  give  merely 
out  of  kindly  feeling,  and  with  no  prospect  of  a  return. 

Many  of  the  Makoa  men  have  their  faces  thickly  tattooed  in 
double  raised  lines  of  about  half  an  inch  in  length.  After  the  • 
incisions  are  made  charcoal  is  rubbed  in  and  the  flesh  pressed 
out,  so  that  all  the  cuts  are  raised  above  the  level  of  the  surface. 
It  gives  them  rather  a  hideous  look,  and  a  good  deal  of  that  fiercc- 
tiess  which  our  kings  and  chiefs  of  old  put  on  while  having  their 
portraits  taken. 

May  Ath.  —  The  stream,  embowered  in  perpetual  shade  and 
overspread  with  the  roots  of  water-loving,  broad-leaved  trees,  w(> 
Ibund  to  be  called  Nkonya.    The  spot  of  our  encampment  was 


*  Km  tlicr  on  wc  fimml  it  I'lillcil  Xkonvn. 


42 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


an  island  formed  by  a  branch  of  it  parting  and  re-entering  it 
again:  the  owner  had  used  it  for  rice. 

The  buffaloes  were  bitten  again  by  tsetse  on  the  2d,  and  also 
to-day,  from  the  bites  of  other  flies  (which  look  much  more  for- 
midable than  tsetse) ;  blood  of  arterial  color  flows  down.  This 
symptom  I  never  saw  before;  but  when  we  slaughtered  an  ox 
which  had  been  tsetse-bitten,  we  observed  that  the  blood  had  the 
arterial  hue.  The  cow  has  inflammation  of  one  eye,  and  a  swelling 
on  the  right  lumbar  portion  of  the  pelvis:  the  gray  buffalo  has 
been  sick,  but  this  I  attribute  to  unmerciful  loading ;  for  his  back 
is  hurt;  the  camels  do  not  seem  to  feel  the  fly,  though  they  get 
weaker  from  the  horrid  running  sores  upon  them  and  hard  work. 
There  are  no  symptoms  of  tsetse  in  mules. or  donkeys,  but  one 
mule  has  had  his  shoulder  sprained,  and  he  can  not  stoop  to  eat 
or  drink. 

We  saw  the  last  of  the  flanking  range  on  the  north.  The 
country  in  front  is  plain,  with  a  few  detached  granitic  peaks  shot 
up.  The  Makoa,  in  large  numbers,  live  at  the  end  of  the  range 
in  a  place  called  Nyuchi.  At  Nyamba,  a  village  where  we  spent 
the  night  of  the  6th,  was  a  doctoress  and  rain -maker,  who 
presented  a  large  basket  of  soroko,  or,  as  they  call  it  in  India, 
"  mung,"  and  a  fowl.  She  is  tall  and  well  made,  with  fine  limbs 
and  feet,  and  was  profusely  tattooed  all  over;  even  her  hips  and 
buttocks  had  their  elaborate  marking's:  no  shame  is  felt  in  ex- 

O 

posing  these  parts. 

A  good  deal  of  salt  is  made  by  lixiviation  of  the  soil  and  evap- 
orating by  fire.  The  head  woman  had  a  tame  khanga  tolc,  or 
tufted  guinea-fowl,  with  bluish  instead  of  white  spots. 

In  passing  along  westward  after  leaving  the  end  of  the  range, 
we  came  first  of  all  on  sandstone  hardened  by  fire;  then  masses 
of  granite,  as  if  in  that  had  been  contained  the  igneous  agency  of 
partial  metamorphosis;  it  had  also  lifted  up  the  sandstone,  so  as 
to  cause  a  dip  to  the  cast.  Then  the  syenite  or  granite  seemed 
as  if  it  had  been  melted,  for  it  was  all  in  stria^  which  stritc,  as 
tlicy  do  elsewhere,  run  east  and  west.  With  the  change  in  ge- 
ological structure  we  get  a  different  vegetation.  Instead  of  the 
laurel -leaved  trees  of  various  kinds,  we  have  African  ebonies, 
acacias,  and  mimosa):  the  grass  is  shorter  and  more  sparse,  and 
we  can  move  along  without  wood-cutting.  We  were  now  oppo- 
site a  hill  on  the  south  called  Simba,  a  lion,  from  its  supposed  le- 
semblance  to  that  animal.  A  large  Mabilia  population  live  there, 
and  make  raids  occasionally  over  to  this  side  for  slaves. 

May  Glh. — Tsetse  again.    The  animals  look  drowsy.  The 


DEATH  OF  AXOTHER  CAMEL. 


43 


cow's  eye  is  dimmed;  when  punctured,  the  skin  emits  a  stream 
of  scarlet  blood.  The  people  hereabouts  seem  intelligent  and  re- 
spectful. At  service  a  man  began  to  talk ;  but  when  I  said  "  Ku 
soma  Mlungu" — "We  wish  to  pray  to  God,"  he  desisted.  It  would 
be  interesting  to  know  what  the  ideas  of  these  men  are,  and  to 
ascertain  what  they  have  gained  in  their  communings  with  na- 
ture during  the  ages  past.  They  do  not  give  the  idea  of  that 
boisterous  wickedness  and  disregard  of  life  which  we  read  of  in 
our  own  dark  ages,  but  I  have  no  one  to  translate,  although  I 
can  understand  much  of  what  is  said  on  common  topics  chiefly 
from  knowing  other  dialects. 

May  lUi. — A  camel  died  during  the  night,  and  the  gray  buffa- 
lo is  in  convulsions  this  morning.  The  cruelty  of  these  sepoys 
vitiates  my  experiment,  and  I  quite  expect  many  ciimels,  one 
buffalo,  and  one  mule  to  die  yet ;  they  sit  down  and  smoke  and 
eat,  leaving  the  animals  loaded  in  the  sun.  If  I  am  not  with 
them,  it  is  a  constant  dawdling;  they  are  evidently  unwilling  to 
exert  themselves;  they  can  not  carry  their  belts  and  bags,  and 
their  powers  of  eating  and  vomiting  are  astounding.  The  Ma- 
konde  villages  are  remarkably  clean;  but  no  sooner  do  we  pass 
a  night  in  one  than  the  fellows  make  it  filthy.  The  climate  does 
give  a  sharp  appetite,  but  these  sepoys  indulge  it  till  relieved  by 
vomiting  and  purging.  First  of  all  they  breakfast,  then  an  hour 
afterward  they  are  sitting  eating  the  pocketfuls  of  corn  maize 
they  have  stolen  and  brought  for  the  purpose,  while  I  have  to  go 
ahead,  otherwise  we  may  be  misled  into  a  zigzag  course  to  see 
All's  friends;  and  if  I  remain  behind  to  keep  the  sepoj's  on  the 
move,  it  deprives  me  of  all  the  pleasure  of  traveling.  We  have 
not  averaged  four  miles  a  day  in  a  straight  line,  yet  the  animals 
have  often  been  kept  in  the  sun  for  eight  hours  at  a  stretch. 
When  we  get  up  at  4  A.M.,  we  can  not  get  underway  before 
eight  o'clock.    Sepoys  are  a  mistake. 

Mar]  7t/i. — We  are  now  opposite  a  mountain  called  Nabunga- 
la,  which  resembles  from  the  north-east  an  elephant  lying  down. 
Another  camel,  a  very  good  one,  died  on  the  way  :  its  shiverings 
and  convulsions  are  not  at  all  like  what  we  olxserved  in  horses 
and  oxen  killed  by  tsetse;  but  such  may  be  the  cau.se,  however. 
The  only  .symptom  pointing  to  the  tsetse  is  the  arterial-looking 
blood,  but  we  never  .saw  it  ooze  from  the  skin  after  the  bite  of 
the  gadfly  as  we  do  now. 

^f<n/  8th. — We  arrived  at  a  village  called  Jponde,  or  Liponde. 
which  lies  opposite  a  granitic  hill  on  the  other  side  of  the  river 
(where  we  spent  a  night  on  our  boat-trip),  called  Nakapuri;  this 


44 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


i 


is  rather  odd,  for  the  words  are  not  Makonde,  but  Sichuana,  and 
signify  goat's  born,  from  the  projections  jutting  out  from  the  rest 
of  the  mass.  I  left  the  havildar,  sepoys,  and  Nassick  boys  here 
in  order  to  make  a  forced  march  forward,  where  no  food  is  to  be 
had,  and  sent  either  to  the  south  or  westward  for  supplies,  so  that 
after  they  have  rested  the  animals  and  themselves  five  days,  they 
may  come.  One  mule  is  very  ill;  one  buffixlo  drowsy  and  ex- 
hausted ;  one  camel  a  mere  skeleton,  from  bad  sores ;  and  anoth- 
er has  an  enormous  hole  at  the  point  of  the  pelvis,  which  sticks 
out  at  the  side.  I  suspect  that  this  was  made  maliciously,  for  he 
came  from  the  field  bleeding  profusely;  no  tree  would  have  per- 
forated a  round  hole  in  this  way.  I  take  all  the  goods,  and  leave 
only  the  sepoys'  luggage,  which  is  enough  for  all  the  animals 
now. 

May  9ih. — I  went  on  with  the  Johanna  men  and  twenty-four 
carriers,  for  it  was  a  pleasure  to  get  away  from  the  sepoys  and 
Nassick  boys;  the  two  combined  to  overload  the  animals.  I  told 
them  repeatedly  that  they  would  kill  them ;  but  no  sooner  had  I 
adjusted  the  burdens  and  turned  my  back  than  they  put  on  all 
their  things.  It  was,  however,  such  continual  vexation  to  con- 
tend with  the  sneaking  spirit,  that  I  gave  up  annoying  myself  by- 
seeing  matters,  though  I  felt  certain  that  the  animals  would  all  be 
killed.  We  did  at  least  eight  miles  pleasantly  well,  and  slept  at 
Moedaa  village.  The  rocks  are  still  syenite.  We  pa.ssed  a  val- 
ley with  the  large  thorny  acacias  of  which  canoes  are  often  made, 
and  a  euphorbiaceous  tree,  with  seed-vessels  as  large  as  manda- 
rin oranges,  with  three  seeds  inside.  We  were  now  in  a  country 
which,  in  addition  to  the  Mazitu  invasion,  was  suffering  from  one 
of  those  inexplicable  droughts  to  which  limited  and  sometimes 
large  portions  of  this  country  are  subject.  It  had  not  been  near- 
ly so  severe  on  the  opposite  or  south  side,  and  thither,  too,  the 
Mazitu  had  not  penetrated.  Rushes,  which  plagued  us  nearer 
the  coast,  are  not  observed  now;  the  grass  is  all  crisp  and  yel- 
low; many  of  the  plants  are  dead,  and  leaves  are  fallen  oft' the 
trees  as  if  winter  had  begun.  The  ground  is  covered  with  open 
forest,  with  here  and  there  thick  jungle  on  the  banks  of  the 
streams.  All  the  rivulets  we  have  passed  are  mere  mountain 
torrents  filled  with  sand,  in  which  the  people  dig  for  water. 

We  passed  the  spot  where  an  Arab  called  Birkal  was  asked 
payment  for  leave  to  pass.  After  two  and  a  half  days'  parley  he 
fought,  killed  two  Makondd,  and  mortally  wounded  a  head  man, 
which  settled  the  matter;  no  fresh  demand  has  been  made 
All's  brother  also  resisted  the  same  sort  of  demand,  R)Ught  sever- 


A  FORMEB  ACQUAINTANCE. 


45 


al  times,  or  until  three  Makonde  and  two  of  his  people  were  kill- 
ed; they  then  made  peace,  and  no  other  exactions  have  been 
made. 

May  llth. — We  now  found  a  difficulty  in  getting  our  carriers 
along,  on  account  of  exhaustion  from  want  of  food.  In  going  up 
a  sand  stream  called  Nyede,  we  saw  that  all  moist  spots  had  been 
planted  with  maize  and  beans;  so  the  loss  caused  by  the  Mazitu, 
who  swept  the  land  like  a  cloud  of  locusts,  will  not  be  attended 
by  much  actual  starvation.  We  met  a  runaway  woman  :  she 
was  seized  by  Ali,  and  it  was  plain  that  he  expected  a  reward 
for  his  pains.  He  thought  she  was  a  slave,  but  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  off  was  the  village  she  had  left;  and  it  being  doubtful  if  she 
were  a  runaway  at  all,  the  would-be  fugitive  slave-capture  turned 
out  a  failure. 

May  \2th. — About  4'  east-north-east  of  Matawatawa,  or  Nya- 
matololc,  our  former  turning-point. 

May  13^//.— We  halted  at  a  village  at  Matawatawa.  A  pleas- 
ant-looking lady,  with  her  face  profusely  tattooed,  came  forward 
with  a  bunch  of  sweet  reed,  or  Sorghum  saccharatum,  and  laid  it 
at  my  feet,  saying,  "I  met  you  here  before,"  pointing  to  the  spot 
on  the  river  where  we  turned.  I  remember  her  coming  then, 
and  that  I  asked  the  boat  to  wait  while  she  went  to  bring  us  a 
basket  of  food,  and  I  think  it  was  given  to  Chiko,  and  no  return 
made.  It  is  sheer  kindliness  that  prompts  them  sometimes, 
though  occasionally  people  do  make  presents  with  a  view  of  get- 
ting a  larger  one  in  return  :  it  is  pleasant  to  find  that  it  is  not  al- 
ways so.  She  had  a  quiet,  dignified  manner,  both  in  talking  and 
walking,  and  I  now  gave  her  a  small  looking-glass,  and  she  went 
and  brought  me  her  only  fowl  and  a  basket  of  cucumber-seeds, 
from  which  oil  is  made;  from  the  amount  of  oily  matter  they 
contain,  tliey  are  nutritious  when  roasted  and  eaten  as  nuts.  She 
made  an  apology,  saying  they  were  hungry  times  at  present.  I 
gave  her  a  cloth,  and  so  parted  with  Kanangond,  or,  as  her  name 
may  be  spelled,  Kananon^.  The  carriers  were  very  useless  from 
hunger,  and  we  could  not  buy  any  thing  for  them;  for  the  coun- 
try is  all  dried  up,  and  covered  sparsely  with  mimo.sas  and  thorny 
acacias. 

Jifay  lith. — I  could  not  get  the  carriers  on  more  than  an  hour 
and  three-quarters:  men  tire  very  soon  on  empty  stomachs. 
We  had  reached  the  village  of  Ilassand,  opposite  to  a  conical  hill 
named  Chisnlw(5,  which  is  on  the  .south  side  of  the  river,  and  ev- 
idently of  igneous  origin.  It  is  tree-covered,  while  the  granite 
always  shows  lumps  of  naked  rock.    All  about  lie  great  patches 


46 


LinXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


of  beautiful  dolomite.  It  may  have  been  formed  by  baking  of 
the  tufa,  which  iu  this  country  seems  always  to  have  been  pour- 
ed out  with  water  after  volcanic  action.  Hassane's  daughter  was 
just  lifting  a  pot  of  French  beans,  boiled  in  their  pods,  off  the 
tire  when  we  entered  the  village.  These  he  presented  to  me ;  and 
when  I  invited  him  to  partake,  he  replied  that  he  w^is  at  home 
and  would  get  something,  while  I  was  a  stranger  on  a  journey. 
He,  like  all  the  other  head  men,  is  a  reputed  doctor,  and  his  wife, 
a  stout  old  lady,  a  doctoress ;  he  had  never  married  any  wife  but 
this  one,  and  he  had  four  children,  all  of  whom  lived  with  their 
parents.  We  employed  one  of  his  sons  to  go  to  the  south  side 
and  purchase  food,  sending  at  the  same  time  some  carriers  to  buy 
for  themselves.  The  siroko  and  rice  bought  by  Hassand's  son 
we  deposited  with  him  for  the  party  behind,  when  they  should 
arrive.  The  amount  of  terror  the  Mazitu  inspire  can  not  be  re- 
alized by  us.  They  shake  their  shields,  and  the  people  fly  like 
stricken  deer.  I  observed  that  a  child  would  not  go  a  few  yards 
for  necessary  purposes  unless  grandmother  stood  in  sight.  Ma- 
tumora,  as  the  Arabs  call  the  chief  at  Ngomano,  gave  them  a 
warm  reception,  and  killed  several  of  them :  this  probably  in- 
duced them  to  retire. 

May  loth,  16th. — Miserabl_y  short  marches  from  hunger,  and  I 
sympathize  with  the  poor  fellows.  Those  sent  to  buy  food  for 
themselves  on  the  south  bank  were  misled  by  a  talkative  fellow 
named  Chikungu,  and  went  off  north,  where  we  knew  nothing- 
could  be  had.  His  object  was  to  get  paid  for  three  days,  while 
they  only  loitered  here.  I  suppose  hunger  has  taken  the  spirit 
out  of  them ;  but  I  told  them  that  a  day  in  which  no  work  was 
done  did  not  count:  they  admitted  this.  We  pay  about  two 
feet  of  calico  per  day,  and  a  fathom  or  six  feet  for  three  days' 
carriage. 

3fai/  17th. — With  very  emptj^  stomachs  they  came  on  a  few 
miles,  and  proposed  to  cross  to  the  south  side ;  as  this  involved 
crossing  the  Loendi  too,  I  at  first  objected ;  but  in  hopes  that  we 
might  get  food  for  them,  we  consented,  and  were  taken  over  in 
two  very  small  canoes.  I  sent  Ali  and  Musa  meanwhile  to  the 
south  to  try  and  get  some  food.  I  got  a  little  green  sorghum  for 
them  nnd  paid  them  off.  Tiiesc  are  the  little  troubles  of  travel- 
ing, and  scarce  worth  mentioning.  A  granitic  peak  now  appears 
about  15'  off,  to  the  west-south-west.    It  is  called  Chihoka. 

Afay  18th. — At  our  cro.ssing-place  metamorphic  rocks  of  a  choc- 
olate color  stood  on  edge;  and  in  the  country  round  we  liave 
patches  of  dolomite  sometimes  as  white  as  marble.    The  country 


MATUMOBA'S  GEOGBAPRY. 


47 


is  all  dry ;  grass  and  leaves  crisp  and  yellow.  Though  so  arid 
now,  yet  the  great  abundance  of  the  dried  stalks  of  a  water-loving 
plant,  a  sort  of  herbaceous  acacia,  with  green  pea-shaped  flowers, 
proves  that  at  other  times  it  is  damp  enough.  The  marks  of 
people's  feet  floundering  in  slush,  but  now  baked,  show  that  the 
country  can  be  sloppy. 

The  head  man  of  the  village  where  we  spent  the  night  of  17th 
is  a  martyr  to  rheumatism.  He  asked  for  medicine,  and  when  I 
gave  some  he  asked  me  to  give  it  to  him  out  of  my  own  hand. 
He  presented  me  with  a  basket  of  siroko  and  of  green  sorghum  as 
a  fee,  of  which  I  was  very  glad ;  for  my  own  party  were  suffer- 
ing, and  I  had  to  share  out  the  little  portion  of  flour  I  had  re- 
served to  myself. 

•  May  19t/i. — Coming  on  with  what  carriers  we  could  find  at  the 
crossing-place,  we  reached  the  confluence  without  seeing  it;  and 
Matumora  being  about  two  miles  up  the  Loendi,  we  sent  over  to 
him  for  aid.  He  came  over  this  morning  early — a  tall,  well-made 
man,  with  a  somewhat  severe  expression  of  countenance,  from  a 
number  of  wrinkles  on  his  forehead.  He  took  us  over  the  Loen- 
di, which  is  decidedly  the  parent  stream  of  the  Rovuma,  though 
that,  as  it  comes  from  the  west,  still  retains  the  name  Loendi  from 
the  south-west  here,  and  is  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two 
iiundred  yards  wide;  while  the  Rovuma  above  Matawatawa  is 
from  two  hundred  to  two  hundred  and  fifty,  full  of  islands,  rocks, 
and  sand-banks.  The  Loendi  has  the  same  character.  We  can 
see  the  confluence  from  where  we  cross  about  2'  to  the  north. 
Both  rivers  are  rapid,  shoal,  and  sandy ;  small  canoes  are  used  on 
them,  and  the  people  pride  themselves  on  their  skillful  manage- 
ment: in  this  the  women  seem  in  no  way  inferior  to  the  men. 

In  looking  up  the  Loendi,  we  see  a  large  granitic  peak,  called 
Nkanjd,  some  twenty  miles  off",  and  beyond  it  the  dim  outline  of 
distant  highlands,  in  which  scams  of  coal  are  exposed.  Pieces  of 
the  mineral  are  found  in  Locndi's  sands.  . 

Matumora  has  a  good  character  in  the  country,  and  many  flee 
to  him  from  oppression.  He  was  very  polite.  Sitting  on  the 
right  bank  till  all  the  goods  were  carried  over,  then  coming  in 
the  same  canoe  with  mc  himself,  he  opened  a  fish-basket  in  a  weir 
and  gave  me  the  contents,  and  subsequently  a  little  green  .sorghum, 
lie  literally  has  lost  all  his  corn,  for  he  was  obliged  to  flee,  with 
his  people,  to  Marumba,  a  rocky  island  in  Rovuma,  about  six 
miles  above  Matawatawa.  He  says  that  both  Loendi  and  Rovu- 
ma come  out  of  Lake  Nya.ssa;  a  boat  could  not  ascend,  liowever, 
because  many  water-falls  are  in  their  course:  it  is  strange  if  all 


48 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


this  is  a  myth.  Matumora  asked  if  the  people  througli  whose 
country  I  had  come  would  preserve  the  peace  I  wished.  He  says 
he  has  been  assailed  on  all  sides  by  slave-hunters :  he  alone  has 
never  hunted  for  captives:  if  the  people  in  front  should  attack 
me,  he  would  come  and  fight  them :  finally,  he  had  never  seen  a 
European  before  (Dr.  Roscher  traveled  as  an  Arab),  nor  could  I 
learn  where  Likumbu  at  Ngomano  lives;  it  was  with  him  that 
Roscher  is  said  to  have  left  his  goods. 

The  Mazitu  had  women,  children,  oxen,  and  goats  with  them. 
The  whole  tribe  lives  on  plundering  the  other  natives  by  means 
of  the  terror  their  shields  inspire;  had  they  gone  farther  down 
the  Rovuma,  no  ox  would  have  survived  the  tsetse. 

May  20th. — I  paid  Ali  to  his  entire  satisfaction,  and  intrusted 
him  with  a  dispatch,  "No.  2  Geographical,"  and  then  sent  off 
four  men  south  to  buy  food.  Here  we  are  among  Matambwd. 
Two  of  Matumora's  men  act  as  guides.  We  are  about  2'  south 
and  by  west  of  the  confluence  Ngomano.  Lat.  11°  26'  23"  S. ; 
long.  37°  49'  52"  E. 

Abraham,  one  of  the  Nassick  boys,  came  up  and  said  he  had 
been  sent  by  the  sepoys,  who  declared  they  would  come  no  for- 
ther.  It  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  they  had  come  so  far,  or 
that  the  havildar  had  forced  them  on.  They  would  not  obey  him  ; 
would  not  get  up  in  the  mornings  to  march  ;  lay  in  the  paths,  and 
gave'  their  pouches  and  muskets  to  the  natives  to  carry:  they 
make  themselves  utterly  useless.  The  black  buffalo  is  dead;  one 
camel  ditto,  and  one  mule  left  behind  ill.  Were  I  not  aware  of 
the  existence  of  the  tsetse,  I  should  say  they  died  from  sheer  bad 
treatment  and  hard  work. 

I  sent  a  note  to  be  read  to  the  sepoys,  stating  that  I  had  seen 
their  disobedience,  unwillingness,  and  skulking,  and  as  soon  as  I 
received  the  havildar's  formal  evidence,  I  would  send  them  back. 
I  regretted  parting  with  the  havildar  only. 

A  leopard  came  a  little  after  dark  while  the  moon  was  shining, 
and  took  away  a  little  dog  from  among  us ;  it  is  said  to  have  taken 
off  a  person  a  few  days  ago. 

May  22d. — The  men  returned,  with  but  little  food  in  return 
for  much  cloth.  Matumora  is  very  friendly,  but  he  has  noth- 
ing to  give  save  a  little  green  sorghum,  and  that  he  brings  daily. 

A  south  wind  blows  strongly  every  afternoon.  The  rains 
ceased  about  the  middle  of  May,  and  the  temperature  is  lowered. 
A  few  heavy  niglit  showers  closed  the  rainy  season. 

Afay  2'M-2AtJi. — I  took  .some  lunar  observations. 

May  2olh. — Matutnora  is  not  Ndonde.    A  chief  to  the  south- 


A  CAMEL  BEATEN  TO  DEATH. 


49 


west  of  this  owns  that  nnme,  and  belongs  to  the  Maturnbwe 
tribe. 

May  26th. — I  sent  Musa  westward  to  buy  food,  and  he  return- 
ed on  the  evening  of  the  27th  without  suecess;  he  found  an  Arab 
slave-dealer  waiting  in  the  path,  who  had  bought  up  all  the  pro- 
visions. About  11  P.M.  we  saw  two  men  pass  our  door  with  two 
women  in  a  chain ;  one  man  carried  fire  in  front,  the  one  behind 
a  musket.    Matumora  admits  that  his  people  sell  each  other. 

Ilat/  21th. — The  havildar  and  Abraham  came  up.  Ilavildar 
says  that  all  I  said  in  my  note  was  true,  and  when  it  was  read  to 
the  sepoys  they  bewailed  their  folly;  he  adds  that  if  they  were 
all  sent  away  disgraced,  no  one  would  be  to  blame  but  themselves, 
lie  brought  them  to  llassand's,  but  they  were  useless,  though 
they  begged  to  be  kept  on :  I  may  give  them  another  trial,  but 
at  present  they  are  a  sad  incumbrance.  South-west  of  this  the 
Manganja  begin;  but  if  one  went  by  them,  there  is  a  space  be- 
yond in  the  south-west  without  people. 

The  country  due  west  of  this  is  described  by  all  to  be  so  mount- 
ainous and  beset  by  Mazitu,  that  there  is  no  possibility  of  passing 
that  way;  I  must  therefore  make  my  way  to  the  middle  of  the 
Lake,  cross  over,  and  then  take  up  my  line  of  1863. 

June  2d,  1866. — The  men  sent  to  the  Matambwe  south-east  of 
this  returned  with  a  good  supply  of  grain.  The  sepoys  will  not 
come ;  they  say  they  can  not — a  mere  excuse,  because  they  tried 
to  prevail  on  the  Nassick  boys  to  go  slowly  like  them,  and  wear 
my  patience  out.  They  killed  one  camel  with  the  butt-ends  of 
their  muskets,  beating  it  till  it  died.  I  thought  of  going  down, 
disarming  them  all,  and  taking  five  or  six  of  the  willing  ones ;  but 
it  is  more  trouble  than  profit,  so  I  propose  to  start  westward  on 
Monday  the  4th,  or  Tuesday  the  5th.  My  sepoys  offered  Ali 
eight  rupees  to  take  them  to  the  coast;  thus  it  has  been  a  regular- 
ly organized  conspiracy. 

From  the  appearance  of  the  cow-ljuffalo,  I  fear  the  tsetse  is  its 
chief  enemy  ;  but  there  is  a  place  like  a  bayonet-wound  on  its 
shoulder,  and  many  of  the  wounds  or  bruises  on  the  camels  were 
so  probed  that  I  suspect  the  sepoys. 

Many  things  African  are  j)osscsscd  of  as  great  vitality  in  their 
line  as  the  African  people.  'I'he  white  ant  was  imported  acci- 
dentally into  St.  Helena  from  the  coast  of  Guinea,  and  has  com- 
mitted such  ravages  in  the  town  of  St.  Jamc.'^,  tiiat  numerous  peo- 
ple have  been  ruined,  and  tlie  governor  calls  out  for  aid  against 
them.  In  other  so-called  new  countries  a  wave  of  English  weeds 
follows  the  tide  of  English  emigration,  and  so  with  insects;  the 

4 


50 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


European  house-fly  chases  away  the  blue-bottle-fly  in  New  Zea- 
land. Settlers  have  carried  the  house-fly  in  bottles  and  boxes  for 
their  new  locations;  but  what  European  insect  will  follow  us  and 
extirpate  the  tsetse?  The  Arabs  have  given  the  Makonde  bugs; 
but  we  have  the  house-fly  wherever  we  go,  the  blue-bottle,  and 
another  like  the  house-fly,  but  with  a  sharp  proboscis,  and  several 
enormous  gadflies.  Here  there  is  so  much  room  for  every  thing. 
In  New  Zealand  the  Norwegian  rat  is  driven  off  by  even  the  Eu- 
ropean mouse ;  not  to  mention  the  Hanoverian  rat  of  Waterton, 
which  is  lord  of  the  land.  The  Maori  say  that  "as  the  white 
man's  rat  has  driven  away  the  native  rat,  so  the  European  fly 
drives  away  our  own ;  and  as  the  clover  kills  our  fern,  so  will 
the  Maori  disappear  before  the  white  man-himself."  The  hog 
placed  ashore  by  Captain  Cook  has  now  overrun  one  side  of  the 
island,  and  is  such  a  nuisance  that  a  large  farmer  of  one  hundred 
thousand  acres  has  given  sixpence  per  head  for  the  destruction  of 
some  twenty  thousand,  and  without  any  sensible  diminution  ;  this 
would  be  no  benefit  here,  for  the  wild  hogs  abound,  and  do  much 
damage,  besides  affording  food  for  the  tsetse :  the  brutes  follow 
the  ewes  with  young,  and  devour  the  poor  lambs  as  soon  as  they 
make  their  appearance. 

June  Bd. — The  cow-buffalo  fell  down  foaming  at  the  mouth,  and 
expired.  The  meat  looks  fat  and  nice,  and  is  relished  by  the  peo- 
ple. A  little  glariness  seemed  to  be  present  on  the  fore-leg;  and 
I  sometimes  think  that,  notwithstanding  the  dissimilarity  of  the 
symptoms  observed  in  the  camels  and  buffaloes  now,  and  those 
we  saw  in  oxen  and  horses,  the  evil  may  be  the  tsetse,  after  all ; 
but  they  have  been  badly  used,  without  a  doubt.  The  calf  has  a 
cut  half  an  inch  deep ;  the  camels  have  had  large  ulcers,  and  at 
last  a  peculiar  smell,  which  portends  death.  I  feel  perplexed,  and 
not  at  all  certain  as  to  the  real  causes  of  death. 

I  asked  Matumora  if  the  Matambwe  believed  in  God;  he  re- 
plied that  he  did  not  know  him,  and  I  was  not  to  ask  the  people 
among  whom  I  was  going  if  they  prayed  to  him,  because  they 
would  imagine  that  I  wished  them  to  be  killed.  I  told  him  that 
we  loved  to  speak  about  him,  etc.  He  said,  when  they  prayed 
they  offered  a  little  meal,  and  then  prayed,  but  did  not  know 
much  about  him. 

They  have  all  great  reverence  for  the  Deity;  and  the  deliber- 
ate way  in  which  they  say  "we  don't  know  him"  is  to  prevent 
speaking  irreverently,  as  that  may  injure  the  country.  The  name 
is  "Mulungu  :"  Makocliera  afterward  said  that  "  he  was  not  good, 
because  he  killed  so  many  people." 


GEE  AT  HILLS  OF  GRANITE. 


51 


June  iih. — Left  Ngomano.  I  was  obliged  to  tell  the  Nassick 
boys  that  they  must  either  work  or  return.  It  was  absurd  to 
have  them  eating  up  our  goods,  and  not  even  carrying  their  own 
things,  and  I  would  submit  to  it  no  more :  five  of  them  carry 
bales,  and  two  the  luggage  of  the  rest.  Abraham  and  Kichard 
are  behind.  I  gave  them  bales  to  carry,  and  promised  them  ten 
rupees  per  month,  to  begin  on  this  date.  Abraham  has  worked 
hard  all  along,  and  his  pay  may  be  due  from  April  7th,  the  day 
we  started  from  Kindan3^ 

June  bth. — We  slept  at  a  village  called  Lamba,  on  the  banks 
of  the  Rovuma,  near  a  brawling  torrent  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
yards,  or  two  hundred  perhaps,  with  many  islands  and  rocks  in 
it.  The  country  is  covered  with  open  forest,  with  patches  of  cul- 
tivation everywhere,  but  all  dried  up  at  present  and  withered, 
partly  from  drought  and  partly  from  the  cold  of  winter.  We 
passed  a  village  with  good  ripe  sorghum  cut  down,  and  the  heads 
or  ears  all  laid  neatly  in  a  row.  This  is  to  get  it  dried  in  the  sun, 
and  not  shaken  out  by  the  wind,  by  waving  to  and  fro;  besides, 
it  is  also  more  easily  watched  from  being  plundered  by  birds. 
The  sorghum  occasionally  does  not  yield  seed,  and  is  then  the 
Sorghum  saccharatum ;  for  the  stalk  contains  abundance  of  sugar, 
and  is  much  relished  by  the  natives.  Now  that  so  much  has  fail- 
ed to  yield  seed,  being  indeed  just  in  flower,  the  stalks  are  chew- 
ed as  if  sugar-cane,  and  the  people  are  fat  thereon;  but  the  hun- 
gry time  is  in  store,  when  these  stalks  are  all  done.  They  make 
the  best  provision  in  their  power  against  famine  by  planting  beans 
and  maize  in  moist  spots.  The  common  native  pumpkin  forms  a 
bastard  sort  in  tlie  same  way,  but  that  is  considered  very  inferior. 

June  6th. — Great  hills  of  granite  are  occa.sionaliy  in  sight  toward 
the  north,  but  the  trees,  though  scraggy,  close  in  the  view.  We 
left  a  village,  called  Mekosi,  and  soon  came  to  a  slaving-party  by 
a  sand  stream.  They  said  that  they  had  bought  two  slaves,  but 
they  had  run  away  from  them,  and  asked  us  to  remain  with  them; 
more  civil  than  inviting.  We  came  on  to  Makochcra,  the  prin- 
cipal head  man  in  this  quarter,  and  found  him  a  merry,  laughing 
mortal,  without  any  good  looks  to  recommend  his  gonial  smile — 
low  forehead,  covered  with  deep  wrinkles;  flat  nose,  somewhat 
of  the  Assyrian  shape ;  a  big  mouth  and  lean  body,  lie  com- 
plained of  the  Macliinga,  a  Waiyau  tribe  north  of  him,  and  the 
Rovuma,  stealing  his  people.  Latitude  of  village,  11°  22'  49"  S. 
The  river  being  about  2'  north,  still  shows  that  it  makes  a  trend 
to  the  north  after  we  pass  Ngomano.  Makochera  has  been  an 
elephant-hunter.    Few  acknowledge  as  a  reason  for  slaving  that 


52 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


sowing  and  spinning  cotton  for  clothing  is  painful.  I  waited 
some  daj's  for  the  Nassick  boj-s,  who  are  behind,  though  we  could 
not  buy  any  food  except  at  enormous  prices  and  long  distances  oft". 

June  1th. — The  havildar  and  two  sepoys  came  up  with  Abra- 
ham ;  but  Richard,  a  Nassick  boy,  is  still  behind  from  weakness. 
I  sent  three  off  to  help  him  with  the  only  cordials  we  could  mus- 
ter. The  sepoys  sometimes  profess  inability  to  come  on,  but  it 
is  unwillingness  to  encounter  hardship  :  I  must  move  on,  wheth- 
er they  come  or  not,  for  we  can  not  obtain  food  here.  I  sent  the 
sepoys  some  cloth,  and  on  the  8th  proposed  to  start,  but  every 
particle  of  food  had  been  .devoured  the  night  before;  so  we  dis- 
patched two  parties  to  scour  the  country  round,  and  give  any 
price  rather  than  want. 

I  could  not  prevail  on  Makochera  to  give  me  a  specimen  of 
poetry.  He  was  afraid ;  neither  he  nor  his  forefathers  had  ever 
seen  an  Englishman.  He  thought  that  God  was  not  good,  be- 
cause he  killed  so  many  people.  Dr.  Roscher  must  have  trav- 
eled as  an  Arab  if  he  came  this  way,  for  he  was  not  known.* 

June  9th. — We  now  left,  and  marched  through  the  same  sort 
of  forest,  gradually  ascending  in  altitude  as  we  went  west;  then 
we  came  to  huge  masses  of  granite,  or  syenite,  with  flakes  peel- 
ing off.  They  are  covered  with  a  plant  with  grassy -looking 
leaves  and  rough  stalk,  which  strips  into  portions  similar  to  what 
are  put  round  candles  as  ornaments.  It  makes  these  hills  look 
light  gray,  with  patches  of  black  rock  at  the  more  perpendicular 
parts;  the  same  at  about  ten  miles  off  look  dark  blue.  The 
ground  is  often  hard  and  stonj^,  but  all  covered  over  with  grass 
and  plants:  looking  down  at  it,  the  grass  is  in  tufts,  and  like 
that  on  the  Kalahari  desert  Trees  show  uplands.  One  tree  of 
which  bark  cloth  is  made,  Pteroccn-jms,  is  abundant.  Timber- 
trees  appear  here  and  there;  but  for  the  most  part  the  growth 
is  stunted,  and  few  are  higher  than  thirty  feet.  We  spent  the 
night  by  a  hill  of  the  usual  rounded  form,  called  Njeugo.  The 
Rovuma  comes  close  by,  but  leaves  us  again,  to  wind  among 
similar  great  masses.    Lat.  11°  20'  05"  S. 

Ju7ie  lOlh. — A  very  heavy  march  through  the  same  kind  of 
country,  no  human  habitation  appearing;  we  passed  a  dead  body 
— recently,  it  was  said,  starved  to  death.  The  large  tract  be- 
tween Makochera's  and  our  next  station  at  Ngozo  hill  is  with- 
out any  perennial  stream ;  water  is  found  often  by  digging  in  the 

*  It  will  be  remembered  tlmt  tliis  German  traveler  was  murdered  near  I/ike  Nyns- 
sa.  The  native  cliiefs  denounced  iiis  assassins,  and  sent  them  to  Zanzibar,  whcic 
they  were  executed. — Eu. 


4: 


THE  MATAMBWE.  53 

sand  streams  wliich  we  several  times  crossed;  sometimes  it  was 
a  trickling  rill,  but  I  suspect  that  at  other  seasons  all  is  dry,  and 
people  are  made  dependent  on  the  Rovuma  alone.  The  first 
evidence  of  our  being  near  the  pleasant  haunts  of  man  was  a 
nice  little  woman  drawing  water  at  a  well.  I  had  become  sepa- 
rated from  the  rest;  on  giving  me  water  she  knelt  down,  and,  as 
country  manners  require,  held  it  up  to  me  with  both  hands.  I 
had  been  misled  by  one  of  the  carriers,  who  got  confused,  though 
the  rounded  mass  of  Ngozo  was  plainly  visible  from  the  heights 
we  crossed  east  of  it. 

An  Arab  party  bolted  on  hearing  of  our  approach :  they  do 
not  tru.st  the  English,  and  this  conduct  increases  our  importance 
among  the  natives.    Lat.  11°  18'  10"  S. 

Jane  llLh. — Our  carriers  refuse  to  go  further,  because  they  say 
that  they  fear  being  captured  here  on  their  return. 

June  12th. — I  paid  off"  the  carriers,  and  wait  for  a  set  from  this. 
A  respectable  man,  called  Makoloya,  or  Impande,  visited  me,  and 
wished  to  ask  some  questions  as  to  where  I  was  going,  and  how 
Jong  I  should  be  away.  He  had  heard  from  a  man  who  came 
from  Ibo,  or  Wibo,  about  the  Bible,  a  large  book  which  was 
consulted. 


Tiittoi)  i)f  M:itaiiibwu 


June  13/Ii. — Makoloya  brouglit  his  wife  and  a  little  corn,  and 
says  that  his  futiier  told  him  that  there  is  a  God,  but  nothing 
more.  The  marks  on  their  foreheads  and  bodies  are  meant  only 
to  give  beauty  in  tlie  dance.  They  seem  a  sort  of  heraldic  orna- 
ment, for  they  can  at  once  tell  by  his  tattoo  to  wliat  tribe  or  por- 
tion of  tribe  a  man  belongs.  ^I'lie  tattoo  or  tembo  of  the  Ma- 
tambwe  and  Upper  Makonde  very  much  resembles  the  drawings 
of  the  okl  Kgyplians— wavy  lines,  such  as  the  ancients  made  to 


54 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


signify  water,  trees,  and  gardens  inclosed  in  squares,  seem  to  have 
been  meant  of  old  for  the  inhabitants  who  lived  on  the  Rovuma, 
and  cultivated  also — the  son  takes  the  tattoo  of  his  father,  and 
thus  it  has  been  perpetuated,  though  the  meaning  now  appears 
lost.  The  Makoa  have  the  half  or  nearly  full  moon ;  but  it  is, 
they  say,  all  for  ornament.  Some  blue  stuff  is  rubbed  into  the 
cuts  (I  am  told  it  is  charcoal),  and  the  ornament  shows  bright- 
ly in  persons  of  light  complexion,  who,  by -the -bye,  are  com- 
mon. The  Makond6  and  Matambw^  file 
their  front  teeth  to  points ;  the  Machin- 
ga,.a  Waiyau  tribe,  leave  two  points  on 
the  sides  of  the  front  teeth,  and  knock  out 
.  w  .    m  ...    one  of  the  middle  ineisors  above  and  be- 

Macbioga  and  Waiyan  Teelh. 

low. 

June  l^th. — I  am  now  as  much  dependent  on  carriers  as  if  I 
had  never  bought  a  beast  of  burden — but  this  is  poor  stuff  to  fill 
a  journal  with.  We  started  off  to  Metaba  to  see  if  the  chief 
there  would  lend  some  men.  The  head  man,  Kitwanga,  went  a 
long  way  to  convoy  us;  then  turned,  saying  he  was  going  to  get 
men  for  Mnsa  next  day.  We  passed  near  the  base  of  the  round- 
ed masses  Ngozo  and  Mekanga,  and  think,  from  a  near  inspec- 
tion, that  they  are  over  two  thousand  feet  above  the  plain,  po.ssi- 
bly  three  thou.sand  feet,  and  nearly  bare,  with  only  the  peculiar 
grassy  plant  on  some  parts  which  are  not  too  perpendicular. 
The  people  are  said  to  have  stores  of  grain  on  them,  and  on  one 
the  chief  said  there  is  water;  he  knows  of  no  stone  buildings  of 
the  olden  time  in  the  country.  We  passed  many  masses  of  fer- 
ruginous conglomerate,  and  I  noticed  that  most  of  the  gneiss  dips 
westward.  The  striae  seem  as  if  the  rock  had  been  partially 
molten:  at  times  the  strike  is  north  and  south,  at  others  east  and 
west;  when  we  come  to  what  may  have  been  its  surface,  it  is  as 
if  the  striae  had  been  stirred  with  a  rod  while  soft. 

We  slept  at  a  point  of  the  Rovuma,  above  a  cataract  where  a 
reach  of  comparatively  still  water  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to 
two  hundred  yards  wide  allows  a  .school  of  hippopotami  to  live  : 
when  the  river  becomes  fordable  in  many  places,  as  it  is  said  to 
do  in  August  and  September,  they  must  find  it  difficult  to  exi.st. 

June  \blh. — Another  three  hours',  march  brought  us  from  the 
sleeping- place  on  the  Rovuma  to  Metaba,  the  chief  of  which, 
Kinazombc,  is  an  elderly  man,  with  a  cunning  and  severe  cast 
of  countenance,  and  a  nose  As.syrian  in  tj'pe;  he  has  built  a 
large  reception-house,  in  which  a  number  of  half-caste  Arabs 
have  taken  up  their  abode.    A  great  many  of  the  people  have 


SUFFEEINGS  OF  THE  SLAVE  TRANSIT. 


55 


guns;  and  it  is  astonishing  to  see  the  number  of  slave-taming 
sticks  abandoned  along  the  road  as  the  poor  wretches  gave  in, 
and  professed  to  have  lost  all  hope  of  escape.  Many  huts  have 
been  built  by  the  Arabs  to  screen  then.^selves  from  the  rain  as 
they  traveled.  At  Kinazombe's  the  second  crop  of  maize  is 
ready,  so  the  hunger  will  not  be  very  much  felt. 

June  16th. — We  heard  very  sombre  accounts  of  the  country  in 
front:  four  or  five  days  to  Mtarika,  and  then  ten  days  through 
jungle  to  Mataka's  town  :  little  food  at  ]M*tarika's,  but  plenty  with 
Mataka,  who  is  near  the  Lake.  The  Rovuma  trends  southerly 
after  we  leave  Ngozo,  and  Masusa,  on  that  river,  is  pointed  out  as 
south-west  from  Metaba ;  so  at  Ngozo  the  river  may  be  said  to 
have  its  farthest  northing.  Masusa  is  reported  to  be  five  days, 
or  at  least  fifty  miles,  from  Metaba.  The  route  now  becomes 
south-west. 

The  cattle  of  Africa  are  like  the  Indian  buffalo,  only  partially 
tamed;  they  never  give  their  milk  without  the  presence  of  the 
calf,  or  its  stuffed  skin,  the  '"fulchan."  The  women  adjacent  to  ^oJLaI-u^ 
Mozambique  partake  a  little  of  the  wild  animal's  nature  ;  for,  T 
like  most  members  of  the  inferior  races  of  animals,  they  refuse 
all  intercourse  with  their  husbands  when  enceinte,  and  they  con- 
tinue this  for  about  three  years  afterward,  or  until  the  child  is 
weaned,  which  usually  happens  about  the  third  year.  I  was  told, 
on  most  respectable  authority,  that  many  fine  young  native  men 
marry  one  wife,  and  live  happily  with  her  till  this  period ;  noth- 
ing will  then  induce  her  to  continue  to  cohabit  with  him ;  and  as 
the  .separation  is  to  continue  for  three  years,  the  man  is  almo.st 
compelled  to  take  up  with  another  wife:  this  was  mentioned  to 
me  as  one  of  the  great  evils  of  society.  The  same  absurdity  pre- 
vails on  the  West  Coast,  and  there  it  is  said  that  the  men  acqui- 
esce from  ideas  of  purity. 

It  is  curious  that  tradc-rum  should  form  so  important  an  arti- 
cle of  import  on  the  West  Coast  while  it  is  almost  unknown  on 
the  East  Coast,  for  the  same  people  began  the  commerce  in  both 
instances.  If  we  look  north  of  Cape  Delgado,  we  might  imagine 
that  the  religious  convictions  of  the  Arabs  had  something  to  do 
with  the  matter;  but  the  Portuguese  south  of  Cape  Delgado  have 
no  .scruples  in  the  matter,  and  would  sell  their  grandfathers  as 
well  as  the  rum,  if  they  could  make  money  by  the  tran.saction. 
They  have  even  erected  distilleries  to  furnish  a  vile  spirit  from 
the  fruit  of  the  cashew  and  other  fruits  and  grain,  but  the  trade 
docs  not  succeed.  They  give  their  slaves  also  rewards  of  spirit, 
or  "  mata  biclio  "  ("  kill  the  creature,"  or  "  craving  within  "),  and 


56 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


you  may  meet  a  man  who,  having  had  much  intercourse  with 
Portuguese,  may  beg  spirits ;  but  the  trade  does  not  pay.  The 
natives  will  drink  it  if  furnished  gratis*.  The  indispensable 
''dash"  of  rum  on  the  West  Coast  in  every  political  transaction 
with  independent  chiefs  is,  however,  quite  unknown.  The  Mos- 
lems would  certainly  not  abstain  from  trading  in  spirits  were  the 
trade  profitable.  They  often  asked  for  brandy  from  me  in  a  sly 
way — as  medicine;  and  when  reminded  that  their  religion  for- 
bade it,  would  say,  "  Oh,  but  we  can  drink  it  in  secret." 

It  is  something  in  the  nature  of  the  people  quite  inexplicable, 
that  throughout  the  Makonde  country  hernia  humoralis  prevails 
to  a  frightful  extent;  it  is- believed  by  the  natives  to  be  the  re- 
sult of  beer-drinking,  so  they  can  not  be  considered  as  abstemious. 

June  18th. — Finding  that  Musa  did  not  come  up  with  the 
goods  I  left  in  his  charge,  and  fearing  that  all  was  not  right,  we 
set  off  with  all  our  hands  who  could  carry,  after  service  yesterday 
morning,  and  in  six  hours'  hard  tramp  arrived  here  just  in  time; 
for  a  tribe  of  Wanindi,  or  Manindi,  who  are  either  Ajawas  (Wai- 
yau),*  or  pretended  Mazitu,  had  tried  to  cross  the  Rovuma  from 
the  north  bank.  They  came  as  plunderers,  and  Musa,  having  re- 
ceived no  assistance,  was  now  ready  to  defend  the  goods.  A 
shot  or  two  from  the  people  of  Kitwanga  made  the  Wanindi  de- 
sert after  they  had  entered  the  water. 

Six  sepoys  and  Simon  had  come  up  this  length;  Reuben  and 
Mabruki  reported  Richard  to  be  dead.  This  poor  boy  was  left 
with  the  others  at  Liponde,  and  I  never  saw  him  again.  I  ob- 
served him  associating  too  much  with  the  sepoy.s,  and  often  felt 
inclined  to  reprove  him,  as  their  conversation  is  usually  very  bad, 
but  I  could  not  of  my  own  knowledge  say  so.  lie  came  on  with 
the  others  as  fur  as  Hassane  or  Pachassane :  there  he  was  too 
weak  to  come  farther;  and  as  the  sepo37s  were  notoriously  skulk- 
ers, I  feared  that  poor  Richard  was  led  away  by  them,  for  I  knew 
that  they  had  made  many  attempts  to  draw  away  the  other  Nas- 
sick  boys  from  their  duty.  When,  however,  Abraham  came  up 
and  reported  Richard  left  behind  by  the  sepoys,  I  became  alarm- 
ed, and  sent  off  three  boys,  with  cordials,  to  help  him  on:  two 
days  after  Abraham  left,  he  seems  to  have  died,  and  I  feel  very 
sorry  that  I  was  not  there  to  do  what  I  could.  I  am  told  now 
that  he  never  consented  to  the  sepoy  temptation:   he  said  to 

*  Farther  westward  among  the  .Mnnganja  or  Nvnssa  people  tlie  Waiyau  tril)e  is 
called  "Ajawn,"  and  we  find  Livingstone  always  sjieaking  of  them  as  Ajawas  in  his 
previoHS  explorations  on  the  Hiver  Hovnma.  (See  "Tlie  Zambesi  and  its  Tritmta- 
ries.")— Ki>. 


TEA  THROWN  AWAY. 


57 


Abraham  that  he  wished  he  were  dead,  he  was  so  much  troubled. 
The  people  where  he  died  were  not  very  civil  to  Simon. 

The  sepoys  had  now  made  themselves  such  an  utter  nuisance 
that  I  felt  that  I  must  take  the  upper  hand  with  them  ;  so  I  call- 
ed them  up  this  morning,  and  asked  if  they  knew  the  punishment 
they  had  incurred  by  disobeying  orders,  and  attempting  to  tam- 
per with  the  Nassick  boys  to  turn  them  back.  I  told  them  they 
not  only  remained  in  the  way  when  ordered  to  march,  but  offered 
eight  rupees  to  Ali  to  lead  them  to  the  coast,  and  that  the  excuse 
of  sickness  was  naught,  for  they  had  eaten  heartily  three  meals  a 
day  while  pretending  illness.  They  had  no  excuse  to  offer,  so  I 
disrated  the  naik  or  corporal,  and  sentenced  the  others  to  carry 
loads:  if  they  behave  well,  then  they  will  get  fatigue  pay  for  do- 
ing fatigue  duty;  if  ill,  nothing  but  their  pay.  Their  limbs  are 
becoming  contracted  from  sheer  idleness;  while  all  the  other  men 
are  well  and  getting  stronger,  they  alone  are  disreputablv  sloven- 
ly and  useless-looking.  Their  filthy  habits  are  to  be  reformed; 
and  if  found  at  their  habit  of  sitting  down  and  sleeping  for  hours 
on  the  march,  or  without  their  muskets  and  pouches,  they  are  to 
be  flogged.  I  sent  two  of  them  back  to  bring  up  two  comrades 
left  behind  yesterda}'.  All  who  have  done  work  are  compara- 
tively strong. 

[We  may  venture  a  word  in  passing  on  the  subject  of  native 
recruits  enlisted  for  service  in  Afiica,  and  who  return  thither 
after  a  long  absence.  All  the  Nassick  boys  were  native-boi'ii 
Africans,  and  yet  we  see  one  of  them  succumb  immediately. 
The  truth  is  that  natives,  under  these  circumstances,  are  just  as 
liable  to  the  effects  of  malaria  on  landing  as  Europeans,  although 
it  is  not  often  that  fever  assumes  a  dangerous  form  in  such  cases. 
The  natives  of  the  inteiior  have  the  greatest  dread  of  the  illness- 
e.s  which  they  say  are  sure  to  be  in  store  for  them  if  they  visit 
the  coast.] 

June  l^tli. — I  gave  the  sepoys  light  loads,  in  order  to  inure 
them  to  exercise  and  strengthen  them,  and  they  carried  willingly 
so  long  as  the  fright  was  on  them;  but  when  the  fear  of  imme- 
diate punishment  wore  ofF,  they  began  their  skulking  again. 
One,  Perim,  reduced  his  load  of  about  twenty  pounds  of  tea  bv 
throwing  away  the  lead  in  which  it  was  rolh-d,  and  afterward 
about  fifteen  pounds  of  the  tea,  thereby  diminishing  our  stock  to 
five  pounds. 

[Dr.  Livingstone's  short  stay  in  pjigland  in  ISG-i-'O")  was  main- 
ly taken  up  with  compiling  an  account  of  his  travels  on  the  Zam- 
besi and  Shire:  during  this  time  his  mother  expired  in  Scotland 


'58  LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 

at  a  good  old  age.  When  be  went  back  to  Africa  he  took  with 
him,  as  part  of  his  very  scanty  traveling  equipment,  a  number  of 
letters  which  he  received  fi'om  friends  at  difterent  times  in  En- 
gland, and  he  very  often  quoted  them  when  he  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  sending  letters  home.  We  come  to  an  entry  at  this  time 
which  shows  that  in  these  reminiscences  he  had  not  thus  pre- 
served an  unmixed  pleasure.    He  says:] 

I  lighted  on  a  telegram  to-day : 

"  Your  mother  died  at  noon  on  the  18th  June." 
Tliis  was  in  1865 :  it  affected  me  not  a  little. 


• 


f 


DIFFICULTIES  ABOUT  CAIiEIEES. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Horrors  of  the  Slave-trader's  Track. — System  of  Cultivation. — Pottery. — Special  Ex- 
orcising.—  Deatii  of  tiie  lust  Mule. — Rescue  of  Cliirikaloma's  Wife. — Brutalities  of 
the  Slave-drivers. — Mtarika's. — Desperate  March  to  Mtaka's. — Meets  Arab  Cara- 
vans.— Dismay  of  Slavers. — Dismissal  of  Sepoys. — Mataka. — The  Waiyau  Me- 
tropolis.— Great  Hospitality  and  good  Feeling. — Mataka  restores  stolen  Cattle. — 
Life  with  the  Chief. — Hcauiy  of  Country  and  Healthiness  of  Climate. — The  Wai- 
yau People  and  their  Peculiarities. — Regrets  at  the  Abandonment  of  Bishop  Mac- 
kenzie's Plans. 

June  1866. — We  passed  a  woman  tied  by  the  neck  to  a 
tree,  and  dead.  The  people  of  the  country  explained  that  she 
had  been  unable  to  keep  up  with  the  other  slaves  in  a  gang,  and 
her  master  had  determined  that  she  should  not  become  the  prop- 
erty of  any  one  else  if  she  recovered  after  resting  for  a  time.  I 
may  mention  here  that  we  saw  others  tied  up  in  a  similar  man- 
ner, and  one  lying  in  the  path  shot  or  stabbed,*  for  she  was  in  a 
pool  of  blood.  The  ex{)lanation  we  got  invariably  was  that  the 
Arab  who  owned  the.se  victims  was  enraged  at  losing  his  money 
by  the  slaves  becoming  unable  to  marcli,  and  vented  his  spleen 
by  murdering  them ;  but  I  have  nothing  more  than  common  re- 
port in  su[)port  of  attributing  this  enormity  to  the  Arabs. 

June  20/A. — Having  returned  to  Metaba,  we  were  told  by  Ki- 
nazombe,  the  chief,  that  no  one  had  grain  to  sell  but  himself. 
He  had  plenty  of  powder  and  common  cloth  from  the  Arabs,  and 
our  only  chance  with  him  was  parting  with  our  finer  cloths  and 
other  things  that  took  his  fancy.  He  magnified  the  scarcity  in 
front  in  order  to  induce  us  to  buy  all  we  could  from  him,  but 
he  gave  me  an  ample  meal  of  porridge  and  guinea-fowl  before 
starting. 

June  21s/. — We  had  difficulties  about  carriers;  but  on  reach- 
ing an  island  in  the  Ilovuma  called  Chimiki,  we  found  the  peo- 
ple were  Makoa,  and  more  civil  and  willing  to  work  than  the 
Waiyau:  we  sent  men  back  to  bring  np  tlu^  havildar  to  a  very 
civil  head  man  called  Chirikaloina. 

June  22d. — A  poor  little  boy  with  prohipsus!  nni  was  carried 

*  There  is  a  double  purpose  in  these  murders ;  the  terror  inspired  in  the  minds  of 
the  sunivorH  npin-M  ihcm  on  to  endure  the  hardships  of  the  march  :  the  I'ortuguesc 
drovers  are  quiiu  alive  to  the  merits  of  this  stimulu.s.  — Kd. 


(50 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


yesterday  by  his  mother  many  a  weary  mile,  lying  over  her  right 
shoulder — the  only  position  he  could  find  ease  in ;  an  infant  at 
the  breast  occupied  the  left  arm,  and  on  her  head  were  carried 
two  baskets.  The  mother's  love  was  seen  in  binding  up  the  part 
when  we  halted,  while  the  coarseness  of  low  civilization  was  evinced 
in  the  laugh  with  which  some  black  brutes  looked  at  the  sufferer. 

June  23d.  —  The  country  is  covered  with  forest,  much  more  ^ 
open  than  farther  east.  We  are  now  some  eight  hundred  feet 
above  the  sea.  The  people  all  cultivate  maize  near  the  Rovuma, 
and  on  islands  where  moisture  helps  them ;  nearly  all  possess 
guns,  and  plenty  of  powder  and  fine  beads — red  ones  strung  on 
the  hair,  and  fine  blue  ones  in  rolls  on  the  neck,  fitted  tightly  like 
soldiers'  stocks.    The  lip-ring  is  universal ; 'teeth  filed  to  points. 

June  24:th. — Immense  quantities  of  wood  are  cut  down,  collect- 
ed in  heaps,  and  burned  to  manure  the  land,  but  this  does  not 
prevent  the  country  having  an  appearance  of  forest.  Divine  serv- 
ice at  8.30  A.M. ;  great  numbers  looking  on.  They  have  a  clear 
idea  of  the  Supreme  Being,  but  do  not  pray  to  him.  Cold  south 
winds  prevail ;  temperature,  55°.  One  of  the  mules  is  very  ill ; 
it  was  left  with  the  havildar  when  we  went  back  to  Ngozo,  and 
probably  remained  uncovered  at  night;  for  as  soon  as  we  saw 
it,  illness  was  plainly  visible.  Whenever  an  animal  has  been  in 
their  power,  the  sepoys  have  abused  it.  It  is  difficult  to  feel 
charitably  to  fellows  whose  scheme  seems  to  have  been  to  de- 
tach the  Nassick  boys  from  me  first;  then,  when  the  animals 
were  all  killed,  the  Johanna  men;  afterward  they  could  rule  me 
as  they  liked,  or  go  back  and  leave  me  to  perish ;  but  I  shall  try 
to  feel  as  charitably  as  I  can  in  spite  of  it  all,  for  the  mind  has  a 
strong  tendency  to  brood  over  the  ills  of  travel.  I  told  the  ha- 
vildar, when  I  came  up  to  him  at  Metaba,  what  I  had  done,  and 
that  I  was  very  much  displeased  with  the  sepoys  for  compassing 
my  failure,  if  not  death ;  an  unkind  word  had  never  passed  my 
lips  to  them :  to  this  he  could  bear  testimony.  He  thought  that 
they  would  only  be  a  plague  and  trouble  to  me,  but  he  "would 
<;o  on  and  die  with  me." 

Stone  boiling  is  unknown  in  these  countries,  but  ovens  are 
made  in  ant-hills.  Holes  are  dug  in  the  ground  for  baking  the 
heads  of  large  game,  as  the  zebra,  feet  of  elephants,  humps  of  ( 
rhinoceros;  and  the  production  of  fire  by  drilling  between  the  [ 
palms  of  the  hands  is  universal.  It  is  quite  common  to  sec  the  I 
sticks  so  used  attached  to  the  clothing  or  bundles  in  traveling;  * 
they  wot  the  blunt  end  of  the  upright  stick  with  tlie  tongue,  and  ! 
dip  it  in  the  sand  to  make  some  particles  of  silica  adhere  before  \ 


I 


NATIVE  POTTERIES. 


61 


inserting  it  in  the  horizontal  piece.  The  wood  of  a  certain  wild 
fig-tree  is  esteemed  as  yielding  fire  readily. 

In  wet  weather  they  prefer  to  carry  fire  in  the  dried  balls 
of  elephants'  dung  which  are  met  with — the  male's  being  about 
eight  inches  in  diameter,  and  about  a  foot  long;  they  also  employ 
the  stalk  of  a  certain  plant  which  grows  on  rocky  places  for  the 
same  pui'pose. 

We  bought  a  senze,  ox  Aulacaudatus  Swmderniamis,  which  had 
been  dried  over  a  slow  fire.    This  custom  of  drying  fish,  flesh, 
and  fruits,  on  stages  over  slow  fires,  is  practiced  very  generally: 
the  use  of  salt  for  preservation  is  unknown.    Besides  stages  for 
drying,  the  Makonde  use  them,  about  six  feet  high,  for  sleeping 
on,  instead  of  the  damp  ground  :  a  fire  beneath  helps  to  keep  off 
the  mosquitoes,  and  they  are  used  by  day  as  convenient  resting- 
places  and  for  observation. 
I       Pottery  seems  to  have  been  known  to  the  Africans  from  the 
remotest  tinnes,  for  fragments  are  found  everywhere,  even  among 
the  oldest  fossil  bones  in  the  country.    Their  pots  for  cooking, 
holding  water  and  beer,  are  made  b}'  the  women,  and  tlie  form  is 
preserved  by  the  eye  alone,  for  no  sort  of  machine  is  ever  used. 
A  foundation  or  bottom  is  first  laid,  and  a  piece  of  bone  or  bam- 
boo used  to  scrape  the  clay,  or  to  smooth  over  the  pieces  which 
are  added  to  increase  the  roundness ;  the  vessel  is  then  left  a  night : 
the  next  morning  a  piece  is  added  to  the  rim — as  the  air  is  dry, 
several  rounds  may  be  added — and  all  is  then  carefully  smoothed 
;    off";  afterward  it  is  thoroughly  sun-dried.    A  light  fire  of  dried 
cow-dung,  or  corn-stalks,  or  straw,  and  grass  with  twigs,  is  made 
'    in  a  hdc  in  the  ground  for  the  final  baking.    Ornaments  are 
j    made  on  these  pots  of  black-lead,  or  before  being  hardened  by 
I    the  sun  they  are  ornamented  for  a  couple  or  three  inches  near 
the  rim,  all  the  tracery  being  in  imitation  of  plaited  basket-work. 

Chirikalorna  says  that  the  surname  of  the  Makoa,  to  wliom  he 
belongs,  is  Mirazi ;  others  have  the  surname  Melola  or  Malola — 
Chimposola.  All  had  the  half-moon  mark  when  in  the  south- 
east; but  now  they  leave  it  off  a  good  deal  and  adopt  the  Wai- 
yau  marks,  because  of  living  in  their  country.  They  show  no  in- 
dications of  being  named  after  beasts  and  birds.  Mirazi  was  an 
ancestor.  They  cat  all  clean  animals,  but  refuse  the  hyena,  leop- 
ard, or  any  beast  that  devours  dead  men.* 

June  2o//i. — On  leaving  Chirikaloma,  we  came  on  to  Namalo, 

*  A  tribnl  (I'lHtinc-tion  turns  on  tlio  customs  prevailinf;  witl>  respect  to  iiiiimnl  food, 
1     «.  !7.,  one  tribe  will  cut  llie  clcplniiit,  the  next  looks  on  such  (Icsli  iis  unclciiii,  anil  so 
with  other  incut.  The  neighl)<)riug  Miinganjii  gladly  cat  the  leopard  and  livenu.—  Ei). 


62 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUENALS. 


whose  village  that  morning  bad  been  deserted,  tbe  people  mov- 
ing off  in  a  body  toward  the  Matambwe  country,  where  food  is 
more  abundant.  A  poor  little  girl  was  left'  in  one  of  the  huts 
from  being  too  weak  to  walk,  probably  an  orphan.  The  Arab 
slave-traders  flee  from  the  path  as  soon  as  they  hear  of  our  ap- 
proach. The  Rovuma  is  from  fifty-six  to  eighty  yards  wide  here. 
No  food  to  be  had  for  either. love  or  money. 

Near  many  of  the  villages  we  observe  a  wand  bent,  and  both 
ends  inserted  into  the  ground.  A  lot  of  medicine,  usually  the 
bark  of  trees,  is  buried  beneath  it.  When  sickness  is  in  a  vil- 
lage, the  men  proceed  to  .the  spot,  wash  themselves  with  the 
medicine  and  water,  creep  through  beneath  the  bough,  then  bury 
the  medicine  and  the  evil  influence  together.  This  is  also  used 
to  keep  off  evil  spirits,  wild  beasts,  and  enemies. 

Cliirikaloma  told  us  of  a  child  in  his  tribe  which  was  deformed 
from  his  birth.  He  had  an  abortive  toe  where  his  knee  should 
have  been.  Some  said  to  his  mother,  "Kill  him;"  but  she  re- 
plied, "How  can  I  kill  my  son?"  He  grew  up  and  had  man}' 
fine  sons  and  daughters,  but  none  deformed  like  himself;  this 
was  told  in  connection  with  an  answer  to  my  question  about  the 
treatment  of  Albinoes:  he  said  they  did  not  kill  them,  but  they 
never  grew  to  manhood.  On  inquiring  if  he  had  ever  heard  of 
cannibals,  or  people  with  tails,  he  replied,  "Yes,  but  we  have  al- 
ways understood  that  these  and  other  monstrosities  are  met  with 
only  among  you  sea-going  people."  The  other  monstrosities  he 
referred  to  were  those  who  are  said  to  have  e_ycs  behind  the  head 
as  well  as  in  front.  I  have  heard  of  them  before,  but  then  I  was 
near  Angola,  in  the  west. 

The  rains  are  expected  here  when  the  Pleiades  appear  in  the 
east  soon  after  sunset;  they  go  by  the  same  name  here  as  fiirthcr 
south  :  Leinila,  or  the  "  hoeings." 

In  the  route  along  the  Rovuma,  we  -pass  among  people  who 
are  so  well  supplied  with  white  calico  by  the  slave-trade  from 
Kilwa  that  it  is  quite  a  drug  in  the  market:  we  can  not  get  food 
for  it.  If  we  held  on  westward,  we  should  cross  several  rivers 
flowing  into  the  Rovuma  from  the  southward,  as  the  Zandulo, 
the  Sanjenzd,  the  Loeliiringo,  and  then,  in  going  round  the  north 
end  of  Nyassa,  we  should  pass  among  the  Nindi,  who  now  inhabit 
the  parts  vacated  by  the  Mazitu,  and  imitate  them  in  having 
shields  and  in  marauding.  An  Arab  party  went  into  their  coun- 
try, and  got  out  again  only  by  paying  a  whole  bale  of  calico.  It 
would  not  be  wise  in  me  to  venture  there  at  ]M\'sent,  but  if  we 
return  this  way  we  may  ;  meanwhile  we  shall  push  on  to  Mataka, 


CHIRIEALOMA  APPEALS  TO  THE  DOCTOR. 


63 


who  is  only  a  few  days  off  from  the  middle  of  the  Lake,  and  has 
abundance  of  provisions. 

June  2&h. — My  last  mule  died.  In  coming  along  in  the  morn- 
ing we  were  loudly  accosted  by  a  well-dressed  woman  who  had 
just  had  a  very  heavy  slave-taming  stick  put  on  her  neck.  She 
called  in  such  an  authoritative  tone  to  us  to  witness  the  flagrant 
injustice  of  which  she  was  the  victim,  that  all  the  men  stood  still, 
and  went  to  hear  the'  case.  She  was  a  near  relative  of  Chirika- 
lonia,  and  was  going  up  the  river  to  her  husband,  when  the  old 
man  (at  whose  house  she  was  now  a  prisoner)  caught  her,  took 
her  servant  away  from  her,  and  kept  her  in  the  degraded  state 
we  saw.  The  withes  with  which  she  was  bound  were  green  and 
sappy.  The  old  man  said  in  justification  that  she  was  running 
away  from  Chirikaloma,  and  he  would  be  offended  with  him  if  he 
did  not  secure  her. 

I  asked  the  officious  old  gentleman  in  a  friendly  tone  what  he 
expected  to  receive  from  Chirikaloma,  and  he  said,  "Nothing." 
Several  slaver-looking  fellows  came  about,  and  I  felt  sure  that  the 
woman  had  been  seized  in  order  to  sell  her  to  them,  so  I  gave  the 
captor  a  cloth  to  pay  to  Chirikaloma  if  he  were  offended,  and  told 
him  to  say  that  I,  feeling  ashamed  to  sec  one  of  his  relatives  in 
a  slave-stick,  had  released  her,  and  would  take  her  on  to  her 
husband. 

She  is  evidently  a  lady  among  them,  having  many  fine  beads 
and  some  strung  on  elephant's  hair;  she  has  a  good  deal  of  spir- 
it too,  for  on  being  liberated  she  went  into  the  old  man's  house 
and  took  her  basket  and  calabash.  A  virago  of  a  wife  shut  the 
door  and  tried  to  prevent  her,  as  well  as  to  cut  off  the  beads  from 
her  person;  but  she  resisted  like  a  good  one,  and  my  men  thrust 
the  door  open  and  let  her  out,  but  minus  her  slave.  The  other 
wife — for  old  Officious  had  two — joined  her  sister  in  a  furious 
tirade  of  abuse,  the  elder  holding  her  sides  in  regular  fish-wife 
fashion,  till  I  burst  into  a  laugh,  in  which  the  younger  wife  joined. 
I  explained  to  the  different  head  men  in  front  of  this  village  what 
I  had  done,  and  sent  messages  to  Chirikaloma  explanatory  of  my 
friendly  deed  to  his  relative,  so  that  no  misconstruction  should 
be  put  on  my  act. 

We  paSxSed  a  slave  woman  shot  or  stabbed  through  the  body, 
and  lying  on  the  path.  A  group  of  men  stood  about  a  hundred 
yards  off  on  one  side,  and  another  of  women  on  the  other  .side, 
looking  on;  tliey  said  an  Arab  who  passed  early  that  morning 
had  done  it,  in  anger  at  losing  the  price. he  had  given  for  her,  be- 
cause she  was  unable  to  walk  any  longer. 


64 


LIVIXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


June  27th. — To-day  we  came  upon  a  man  dead  from  starvation, 
as  he  was  very  thin.  One  of  our  men  wandered  and  found  a 
number  of  slaves  with  slave-sticks  on,  abandoned  by  their  master 
from  want  of  food ;  they  were  too  weak  to  be  able  to  speak  or 
say  where  they  had  comie  from ;  some  were  quite  young.  We 
crossed  the  Tulosi,  a  stream  coming  from  south,  about  twenty 
yards  wide. 

At  Chenjewala's  the  people  are  usually  much  startled  when  I 
explain  that  the  numbers  of  slaves  we  see  dead  on  the  road  have 
been  killed  partly  by  those  who  sold  them ;  for  I  tell  them  that 
if  they  sell  their  fellows,  they  are  like  the  man  who  holds  the 
victim  while  the  Arab  performs  the  murder. 

Chenjewala  blamed  Machemba,  a  chief  above  him  on  the  Ro- 
vuma,  for  encouraging  the  slave-trade ;  I  told  him  I  had  traveled 
so  much  among  them  that  I  knew  all  the  excuses  they  could 
make :  each  head  man  blamed  some  one  else. 

"It  would  be  better  if  3'ou  kept  your  people,  and  cultivated 
more  largely,"  said  I.  "  Ob,  Machemba  sends  his  men  and  robs 
our  gardens  after  we  have  cultivated,"  was  the  reply.  One  man 
said  that  the  Arabs  who  come  and  tempt  them  with  fine  clothes 
are  the  cause  of  their  selling:  this  was  childish,  so  I  told  them 
they  would  very  soon  have  none  to  sell ;  their  country  was  be- 
coming jungle,  and  all  their  people  who  did  not  die  in  the  road 
would  be  making  gardens  for  Arabs  at  Kilwa  and  elsewhere. 

June  28th. — When  we  got  about  an  hour  from  Chenjewala's 
we  came  to  a  party  in  the  act  of  marauding;  the  owners  of  the 
gardens  made  off  for  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  waved  to  us 
to  go  against  the  people  of  Madiemba,  but  we  stood  on  a  knoll 
with  all  our  goods  on  the  ground,  and  waited  to  see  how  matters 
would  turn  out.  Two  of  the  marauders  came  to  us,  and  said 
they  had  captured  five  people.  I  suppose  they  took  us  for  Arabs, 
as  they  addressed  Musa.  They  then  took  some  green  maize,  and 
so  did  some  of  my  people,  believing  that  as  all  was  going,  they 
who  were  really  starving  might  as  well  have  a  share. 

I  went  on  a  little  way  with  the  two  marauders,- and  b\'  the 
foot-prints  thought  the  whole  party  might  amount  to  four  or  five, 
with  guns:  the  gardens  and  huts  were  all  deserted.  A  poor 
woman  was  sitting,  cooking  green  maize,  and  one  of  the  men  or- 
dered her  to  follow  him.  I  said  to  him,  "Let  her  alone;  she  is 
dying."    "  Ye.s,"  said  he,  "of  hunger;"  and  went  on  without  her. 

We  passed  village  after  village,  and  gardens  all  deserted  !  Wo 
were  now  between  two  contending  parties.  We  slept  at  one  gar- 
den ;  and  as  we  were  told  by  Chenjewala's  peo})le  to  take  what 


USEFULNESS  OF  AKOSAEONE. 


65 


we  liked,  and  my  men  had  no  food,  we  gleaned  what  congo- 
beans,  bean -leaves,  and  sorghum  stalks  we  could  —  poor  fare 
enough,  but  all  we  could  get. 

June  29th. — We  came  on  to  Machemba's  brother,  Chimseia, 
who  gave  us  food  at  once.  The  country  is  now  covered  with 
deeper  soil,  and  many  large  acacia-trees  grow  in  the  rich  loam; 
the  holms  too  are  large,  and  many  islands  afford  convenient 
maize  grounds.  One  of  the  Nassick  lads  came  up  and  reported 
his  bundle,  containing  two  hundred  and  forty  yards  of  calico, 
had  been  stolen  ;  he  went  aside,  leaving  it  on  the  path  (probably 
fell  asleep),  and  il  was  gone  when  he  came  back.  I  can  not  im- 
press either  on  them  or  the  sepoys  that  it  is  wrong  to  sleep  on 
the  march. 

Akosakond,  whom  we  had  liberated,  now  arrived  at  the  resi- 
dence of  her  husband,  who  was  another  brother  of  Machemba. 
She  behaved  like  a  lady  all  through,  sleeping  at  a  fire  apart  from 
the  men.  The  ladies  of  the  different  villages  we  passed  condoled 
with  her,  and  she  related  to  them  the  indignity  that  had  been 
done  to  her.  Besides  this  she  did  us  many  services :  she  bought 
food  for  us,  because,  having  a  good  address,  we  saw  that  she  could 
get  double  what  any  of  our  men  could  purchase  for  the  same 
cloth;  she  spoke  up  for  us  when  any  injustice  was  attempted, 
and,  when  we  were  in  want  of  carriers,  volunteered  to  carry  a 
bag  of  beads  on  her  head.  On  arriving  at  Machemba's  brother, 
Chimseia,  she  introduced  me  to  him,  and  got  him  to  be  liberal 
to  us  in  food  on  account  of  the  service  we  had  rendered  to  her. 
She  took  leave  of  us  all  with  many  expressions  of  thankfulness, 
and  we  were  glad  that  we  had  not  mistaken  her  position  or  lav- 
ished kindness  on  the  undeserving.- 

One  Johanna  man  was  caught  stealing  maize,  then  another,  af- 
ter I  had  paid  for  the  first.  I  sent  a  request  to  the  chief  not  to 
make  much  of  a  grievance  about  it,  as  I  was  very  much  ashamed 
at  my  men  stealing;  he  replied  that  he  had  liked  me  from  the 
first,  and  I  was  not  to  fear,  as  whatever  service  he  could  do  he 
would  most  willingly,  in  order  to  save  me  pain  and  trouble.  A 
sepoy  now  came  up,  having  given  his  musket  to  a  man  to  carry, 
who  therefore  demanded  payment.  As  it  had  become  a  regular 
nuisance  for  the  sepoys  to  employ  people  to  carry  for  them,  tell- 
ing thcin  that  T  would  pay,  T  demanded  why  he  had  promised  in 
my  name.  "Oh,  it  was  but  a  little  way  he  carried  the  musket," 
.said  he.  Ciiimsoia  warned  us  next  morning,  June  30th,  against 
allowing  any  one  to  straggle  or  steal  in  front,  for  stabbing  and 
plundering  were  the  rule.    The  same  sepoy  who  hud  employed 


66 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


a  man  to  carry  his  musket  now  came  forward,  with  his  eyes  fixed 
and  shaking  all  over.  This,  I  was  to  understand,  meant  extreme 
weakness;  but  I  had  accidentally  noticed  him  walking  quite 
smartly  before  this  exhibition,  so  I  ordered  him  to  keep  close  to 
the  donkey  that  carried  the  havildar's  luggage,  and  on  no  account 
to  remain  behind  the  party.  He  told  the  havildar  that  he  would 
sit  down  only  for  a  little  while ;  and,  I  suppose,  fell  asleep,  for 
he  came  up  to  us  in  the  evening  as  naked  as  a  robin. 

I  saw  another  person  bound  to  a  tree  and  dead — a  sad  sight  to 
see,  whoever  was  the  perpetrator.  So  many  slave-sticks  lie  along 
our  path,  that  I  suspect  the  people  hereabouts  make  a  practice  of 
liberating  what  slaves  they  can  find  abandoned  on  the  march,  to 
sell  them  again. 

A  large  quantity  of  maize  is  cultivated  at  Chirasaka's,  at  whose 
place  we  this  day  arrived.  We  got  a  supply,  but  being  among 
thieves,  we  thought  it  advisable  to  move  on  to  the  next  place 
(Mtarika's).  When  starting,  we  found  that  fork,  kettle,  pot,  and 
shot-pouch  had  been  taken.  The  thieves,  I  observed,  kept  up  a 
succession  of  jokes  with  Chuma  and  Wikatani,  and  when  the  lat- 
ter was  enjoying  them,  gaping  to  the  sky,  they  were  busy  put- 
ting the  things  of  which  he  had  charge  under  their  cloths!  I 
spoke  to  the  chief,  and  he  got  the  three  first  articles  back  for  me. 

A  great  deal  if  not  all  the  lawlessness  of  this  quarter  is  the  re- 
sult of  the  slave-trade,  for  the  Arabs  buy  whoever  is  brought  to 
them  ;  and  in  a  country  covered  with  forest  as  this  is,  kidnap- 
ing can  be  prosecuted  with  the  greatest  ease ;  elsewhere  the  peo- 
ple are  honest  and  have  a  regard  for  justice. 

July  1st,  1866. — As  we  approach  Mtarika's  place,  the  country 
becomes  more  mountainous,  and  the  land  sloping  for  a  mile 
down  to  the  south  bank  of  the  Rovuma  supports  a  large  popula- 
tion. Some  were  making  new  gardens  by  cutting  down  trees 
and  piling  the  branches  for  burning;  others  had  stored  up  large 
quantities  of  grain,  and  were  moving  it  to  a  new  locality ;  but 
they  were  all  so  well  supplied  with  calico  (Merikano)  that  they 
would  not  look  at  ours.  The  market  was  in  fact  glutted  by 
slavers  from  (Quiloa)  Kilwa.  On  asking  why  people  were  seen 
tied  to  trees  to  die  as  we  had  seen  them,  they  gave  the  usual  an- 
swer that  the  Arabs  tie  them  thus,  and  leave  them  to  perish,  be- 
cause they  are  vexed,  when  the  slaves  can  walk  no  farther,  that 
they  have  lost  their  money  by  them.  The  path  is  almost  strewed 
with  slave-sticks,  and  though  the  people  denied  it,  I  suspect  that 
they  make  a  practice  of  following  slave  caravans  and  cutting  off 
the  sticks  from  those  who  fall  out  in  the  march,  and  thus  stealing 


GREAT  SCARCITY  OF  FOOD. 


67 


them.  By  selling  them  again  they  get  the  quantities  of  cloth  -v^e 
see.  Some  asked  for  gaudy  prints,  of  which  we  had  none,  be- 
cause we  knew  that  the  general  taste  of  the  Africans  of  the  inte- 
rior is  for  strength  rather  than  show  in  what  they  buy. 

The  Rovuma  here  is  about  one  hundred  yards  broad,  and  still 
keeps  up  its  character  of  a  rapid  stream,  with  sandy  banks  and 
islands:  the  latter  are  generally  occupied,  as  being  defensible 
when  the  river  is  in  flood. 

July  2d,  1866. — We  rested  at  Mtarika's  old  place;  and  though 
we  had  to  pay  dearly  with  our  best  table-cloths*  for  it,  we  got  as 
much  as  made  one  meal  a  day.  At  the  same  dear  rate  we  could 
give  occasionally  only  two  ears  of  maize  to  each  man ;  and  if  the 
sepoys  got  their  comrades'  corn  into  their  hands  they  ate  it  with- 
out shame.  We  had  to  bear  a  vast  amount  of  staring,  for  the 
people,  who  are  Waiyau,  have  a  great  deal  of  curiosity,  and  are 
occasionally  rather  rude.  They  have  all  heard  of  our  wish  to 
stop  the  slave-trade,  and  are  rather  taken  aback  when  told  that 
by  selling  they  are  art  and  part  guilty  of  the  mortality  of  which 
w(  had  been  unwilling  spectators.  Some  were  dumfounded 
when  shown  that  in  the  eye  of  their  Maker  they  are  parties  to  the 
destruction  of  human  life  which  accompanies  this  traffic  both  by 
sea  and  land.  If  they  did  not  sell,  the  Arabs  would  hot  come  to 
buy.  Chuma  and  Wakatani  render  what  is  said  very  eloquently 
in  Chiyau,  most  of  the  people  being  of  their  tribe,  with  only  a 
sprinkling  of  slaves.  Chimseia,  Chimsaka,  Mtarika,  Mtende,  Ma- 
kanjela,  Mataka,  and  all  the  chiefs  and  people  in  our  route  to  the 
Lake,  are  Waiyau,  or  Waiau.f 

On  the  southern  slope  down  to  the  river  there  are  many  oozing 
springs  and  damp  spots  where  rice  has  been  sown  and  reaped. 
The  adjacent  land  has  yielded  large  crops  of  sorghum,  congo- 
beans,  and  i>umpkins.  Successive  crowds  of  people  came  to  gaze. 
My  appearance  and  acts  often  cause  a  burst  of  laughter;  sudden 
standing  up  produces  a  flight  of  women  and  children.  To  pre- 
vent peeping  into  the  hut  which  I  occupy,  and  making  the  place 
quite  dark,  I  do  my  writing  in  the  veranda.  Chitane,  the  poodle- 
dog,  the  buffalo-calf,  and  our  only  remaining  donkey  are  greeted 
with  the  same  amount  of  curiosity  and  laughter-exciting  comment 
as  myself. 

Every  evening  a  scries  of  loud  mu.'^kct  reports  is  hoard  from 
the  different  villages  along  the  river  ;  these  are  imitation  evening 


*  A  colored  cloth  nmnufactured  expressly  for  barter  in  East  Africa, 
t  This  is  prunouncud  "  Y-jow." — Ed. 


68 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


guns.  All  copy  the  Arabs  in  dress,  and  chewing  tobacco  with 
"nora"  lime,  made  from  burned  river  shells  instead  of  betel-nut 
and  lime.  The  women  are  stout,  well-built  persons,  with  thick 
arms  and  legs ;  their  heads  incline  to  the  bullet  shape ;  the  lip- 
rings  are  small ;  the  tattoo  a  mixture  of  Makoa  and  Waiyau. 
Fine  blue  and  black  beads  are.  in  fashion,  and  so  are  arm-coils  of 
thick  brass  wire.  Very  nicely  inlaid  combs  are  worn  in  the  hair ; 
the  inlaying  is  accomplished'  by  means  of  a  gum  got  from  the 
root  of  an  orchis  called  Nangazu. 

July  Zd. — A  short  march  brought  us  to  Mtarika's  new  place. 
The  chief  made  his  appeariince  only  after  he  had  ascertained  all 
he  could  about  us.  The  population  is  immense ;  they  are  mak- 
ing new  gardens,  and  the  land  is  laid  out  by -straight  lines  about 
a  foot  broad,  cut  with  the  hoe.  One  goes  miles  without  getting 
beyond  the  marked  or  surveyed  fields. 

Mtarika  came  at  last;  a  big,  ugly  man,  with  large  mouth  and 
receding  forehead.  He  asked  to  see  all  our  curiosities,  as  the 
watch,  revolver,  breech-loading  rifle,  sextant.  I  gave  him  a  lec- 
ture on  the  evil  of  selling  his  people,  and  he  wished  me  to  tell  all 
the  other  chiefs  the  same  thing. 

They  dislike  the  idea  of  guilt  being  attached  to  them  for  hav- 
ing sold  many  who  have  lost  their  lives  on  their  way  down  to  the 
sea-coast.  We  had  a  long  visit  from  Mtarika  next  day;  be  gave 
us  meal,  and  meat  of  wild  hog,  with  a  salad  made  of  bean -leaves. 
A  wretched  Swaheli  Arab,  ill  with  rheumatism,  came  for  aid,  and 
got  a  cloth.    They  all  profess  to  me  to  be  buying  ivory  only. 

July  5th. — "We  left  for  Mtende,  who  is  the  last  chief  before  we 
enter  on  a  good  eight  days'  march  to  Mataka's.  We  might  have 
gone  to  Kandulo's,  who  is  near  the  Rovuma,  and  more  to  the  north, 
but  all  are  so  well  supplied  with  every  thing  by  slave-traders  that 
we  have  difficulty  in  getting  provisions  at  all.  Mataka  has  plenty 
of  all  kinds  of  food.  On  the  way  we  passed  the  burned  bones  of 
a  person  who  was  accused  of  having  eaten  human  flesh;  he  had 
been  poisoned,  or,  as  they  said,  killed  by  poison  (muave?),  and 
then  burned.  His  clothes  were  hung  up  on  trees  by  the  wayside 
as  a  warning  to  others.  The  country  was  covered  with  scraggy 
forest,  but  so  undulating  that  one  could  often  sec  all  around  from 
the  crest  of  the  wavee.  Great  mountain  masses  appear  in  the 
south  and  south-west.    It  feels  cold,  and  the  sky  is  often  overcast. 

July  Glh. — I  took  lunars  yesterday,  after  which  Mtende  invited 
us  to  eat  at  his  house  where  he  had  provided  a  large  mess  of  rice 
porridge  and  bean-leavcs  as  a  relish,  lie  says  that  many  Arabs 
pass  him,  and  many  of  them  die  in  their  journeys.    lie  knows  no 


COS  FOB  AL  PUNISHMENT  INFLICTED. 


69 


deaf  or  dumb  person  in  the  country.  He  says  that  he  cuts  the 
throats  of  all  animals  to  be  eaten,  and  does  not  touch  lion  or 
hyena. 

July  7th. — We  got  men  from  Mtende  to  carry  loads  and  show 
the  way.  He  asked  a  cloth  to  insure  his  people  going  to  the 
journey's  end  and  behaving  properly  ;  this  is  the  only  case  of  any 
thing  like  tribute  being  demanded  in  this  journey:  I  gave  him  a 
cloth  worth  5s.  6d.  Upland  vegetation  prevails;  trees  are  dotted 
here  and  there  among  bushes  five  feet  high,  and  fine  blue  and 
yellow  flowers  are  common.  We  pass  over  a  succession  of  ridges 
and  valleys  as  in  Londa;  each  valley  has  a  running  stream  or 
trickling  rill;  garden  willows  are  in  full  bloom,  and  also  a  species 
of  sage  with  variegated  leaves  beneath  the  flowers. 

When  the  sepoy  Perim  threw  away  the  tea  and  the  lead  lin- 
ing, I  only  reproved  him,  and  promised  him  punishment  if  he 
committed  any  other  willful  offense;  but  now  he  and  another 
skulked  behind,  and  gave  their  loads  to  a  stranger  to  carry,  with 
a  promise  to  him  that  I  would  pay.  We  waited  two  hours  for 
them  ;  and  as  the  havildar  said  that  they  would  not  obey  him,  I 
gave  Perim  and  the  other  some  smart  cuts  with  a  cane;  but  I 
felt  that  I  was  degrading  myself,  and  resolved  not  to  do  the  pun- 
ishment myself  again. 

July  8th. — Hard  traveling  through  a  depopulated  country. 
The  trees  are  about  the  size  of  hop-poles,  with  abundance  of  tall 
grass;  the  soil  is  sometimes  a  little  sandy,  at  other  times  that 
reddish,  clayey  sort  which  yields  native  grain  so  well.  The  rock 
seen  uppermost  is  often  a  ferruginous  conglomerate,  lying  on 
granite  rocks.  The  gum-copal-tree  is  here  a  mere  bush,  and  no 
digging  takes  place  for  the  gum ;  it  is  called  mchenga,  and  yields 
gum  when  wounded,  as  also  bark-cloth,  and  cordage  when  stripped. 
Mountain  masses  are  all  around  us :  we  sleep  at  Linata  mountain. 

July  9l.h. — The  masuko  fruit  abounds :  the  name  is  the  same 
here  as  in  the  Batoka  country :  there  are  also  rhododendrons  of 
two  specie.^?,  but  the  flowers  white.  We  slept  in  a  wild  spot,  near 
Mount  Leziro,  with  many  lions  roaring  about  us;  one  hoarse  fel- 
low serenaded  us  a  long  time,  but  did  nothing  more.  Game  is 
said  to  be  abundant,  but  we  saw  none,  save  an  occasional  diver 
springing  away  from  the  path.  Some  streams  ran  to  the  north- 
west to  tlie  Lismyando,  which  flows  north  for  the  Kovuma;  oth- 
ers to  the  south-east,  for  the  Loendi. 

July  10th,  II Ih.  —  Nothing  to  interest,  but  the  same  weary 
trudge;  our  food  so  scarce  that  we  can  only  give  a  liandful  or 
Haifa  pound  of  grain  to  each  person  per  day.    The  masuko  fruit 


70 


LiriXGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS: 


is  formed,  but  not  ripe  till  rains  begin  ;  very  few  birds  are  seen 
or  heard,  though  there  is  both  food  and  water  in  the  many  grain- 
bearing  grasses  and  running  streams,  which  we  cross  at  the  junc- 
tion of  every  two  ridges.  A  dead  body  lay  in  a  hut  by  the 
way-side;  the  poor  thing  had  begun  to  make  a  garden  by  the 
stream,  probably  in  hopes  of  living  long  enough  (two  months  or 
so)  on  wild  fruits  to  reap  a  crop  of  maize. 

July  12th. — A  drizzling  mist  set  in  during  the  night  and  con- 
tinued this  morning.  We  set  off  in  the  dark,  however,  leaving 
our  last  food  for  the  havildar  and  sepoys  who  had  not  yet  come 
up.  The  streams  are  now  of  good  size.  An  Arab  brandy-bottle 
was  lying  broken  in  one  village,  called  Msapa.  We  hurried  on 
as  fast  as  we  could  to  the  Luatiz6,  our  last'  stage  before  getting 
to  Mataka's ;  this  stream  is  rapid,  about  forty  yards  wide,  waist- 
deep,  with  many  podostemons  on  the  bottom.  The  country  gets 
more  and  more  undulating,  and  is  covered  with  masses  of  green 
foliage,  chiefly  masuko- trees,  which  have  large  hard  leaves. 
There  are  hippopotami  farther  down  the  river  on  its  way  to  the 
Loendi.  A  little  rice  which  had  been  kept  for  me  I  divided,  but 
some  did  not  taste  food. 

July  13th. — A  good  many  stragglers  behind,  but  we  push  on 
to  get  food,  and  send  it  back  to  them.  The  soil  all  reddish  clay, 
the  roads  baked  hard  by  the  sun,  and  the  feet  of  many  of  us  are 
weary  and  sore — a  weary  march  and  long,  for  it  is  perpetually 
up  and  down  now.  I  counted  fifteen  running  streams  in  one 
day;  they  are  at  the  bottom  of  the  valley  which  separates  the 
ridges.  We  got  to  the  brow  of  a  ridge  about  an  hour  from  Ma- 
taka's first  gardens,  and  all  were  so  tired  that  we  remained  to 
sleep;  but  we  first  invited  volunteers  to  go  on  and  buy  food, 
and  bring  it  back  early  next  morning:  they  had  to  be  pressed 
to  do  this  duty. 

July  lUlt. — As  our  volunteers  did  not  come  at  8  a.m.,  I  set 
off  to  see  the  cause,  and  after  an  hour  of  perpetual  up-and-down 
march,  as  I  descended  the  steep  slope  which  overlooks  the  first 
gardens,  I  saw  my  friends  start  up  at  the  apparition — they  were 
comfortably  cooking  porridge  for  themselves!  I  sent  men  of 
Mataka  back  with  food  to  the  stragglers  behind,  and  came  on  to 
his  town. 

An  Arab,  Scf  Rupia  or  Ruboa,  head  of  a  large  body  of  slaves, 
on  his  way  to  the  coast,  most  kindly  came  forward  and  presented 
an  ox,  bag  of  flour,  and  some  cooked  meat,  all  of  which  were  ex- 
tremely welcome  to  half-famished  men,  or  indeed  under  any  cir- 
cumstances,   lie  had  heard  of  our  want  of  food  and  of  a  band  of 


ARRIVES  AT  MATAEA'S  TOWN. 


71 


sepoys;  and  what  could  the  English  think  of  doing  but  putting 
au  end  to  the  slave-trade?  Had  he  seen  our  wretched  escort,  all 
fear  of  them  would  have  vanished !  He  had  a  large  safari,  or 
caravan,  under  him.  This  body  is  usually  divided  into  ten  or 
twelve  portions,  and  all  are  bound  to  obey  the  leader  to  a  certain 
extent.  la  this  case  there  were  eleven  parties,  and  the  traders 
numbered  about  sixty  or  seventy,  who  were  dark  coast  Arabs. 
Each  underling  had  his  men  under  him,  and  when  I  saw  them 
they  were  busy  making  the  pens  of  branches  in  which  their 
slaves  and  they  sleep.  Sef  came  on  with  me  to  Mataka's,  and 
introduced  me  in  due  form  with  discharges  of  gunpowder.  I 
asked  him  to  come  back  next  morning,  and  presented  three  cloths 
with  a  request  that  he  would  assist  the  havildar  and  sepoys,  if  he 
met  them,  with  food  :  this  he  generously  did. 

We  found  Mataka's  town  situated  in  an  elevated  valley  sur- 
rounded by  mountains;  the  houses  numbered  at  least  one  thou- 
sand, and  there  were  many  villages  around;  the  mountains  were 
pleasantly  green,  and  had  many  trees  which  the  people  were  in- 
cessantly cutting  down.  They  had  but  recently  come  here:  they 
were  besieged  by  Mazitu  at  their  former  location  west  of  this; 
after  fighting  four  days  they  left  unconquered,  having  beaten  the 
enemy  off". 

Mataka  kept  us  waiting  some  time  in  the  veranda  of  his  large 
square  house,  and  then  made  his  appearance,  smiling,  with  liis 
good-natured  face.  He  is  about  sixty  years  of  age,  dressed  as  an 
Arab,  and,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  laughter  with  which  his  re- 
marks were  always  greeted,  somewliat  humorous.  He  had  never 
seen  any  but  Arabs  before.  He  gave  me  a  square  house  to  live  in, 
indeed  the  most  of  the  houses  here  are  square,  for  the  Arabs  are 
imitated  in  every  thing:  they  have  introduced  the  English  pea, 
and  we  were  pleased  to  see  large  patches  of  it  in  full  bearing,  and 
ripe  in  moist  hollows  which  had  been  selected  for  it.  The  nu- 
merous springs  which  come  out  at  various  parts  arc  all  made  use 
of.  Those  parts  which  are  too  wet  arc  drained,  while  beds  are 
regularly  irrigated  by  water-courses  and  ridges.  We  had  after- 
ward occasion  to  admire  the  very  extensive  draining  wliich  has 
been  effected  among  the  hills.  Cassava  is  cultivated  on  ridges 
along  all  the  streets  in  the  town,  which  give  it  a  somewhat  regu- 
lar and  neat  appearance.  Pease  and  tobacco  were  the  chief  prod- 
ucts raised  by  irrigation^  but  batatas  and  maize  were  often 
planted  too;  wheat  would  succeed  if  introduced.  The  altitude 
13  about  two  thousand  seven  hundred  feet  above  the  sea;  tlie  air 
at  this  time  is  cool,  and  many  people  Lave  coughs. 


72 


LIVIXGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Mataka  soon  sent  a  good  mess  of  porridge  and  cooked  meat 
(beef) ;  he  has  plenty  of  cattle  and  sheep ;  and  the  next  day  he 
sent  abundance  of  milk.  We  stand  a  good  deal  of  staring  un- 
moved, though  it  is  often  accompanied  by  remarks  by  no  means 
complimentary;  they  think  that  they  are  not  understood,  and 
probably  I  do  misunderstand  sometimes.  The  Waiyau  jumble 
their  words',  as  I  think,  and  Mataka  thought  that  I  did  not  enun- 
ciate any  thing,  but  kept  my  tongue  still  when  I  spoke. 

Town  of  Mataka,  Moembe.  July  Ibth. — The  safari  under 
Sef  set  off  this  morning  for  Kilwa.  Sef  says  that  about  one  hun- 
dred of  the  Kilwa  people  died  this  year;  so  slaving  as  well  as 
philanthropy  is  accompanied  with  loss  of  life.  We  saw  about 
seven  of  their  graves;  the  rest  died  on  the 'road  up. 

There  are  two  roads  from  this  to  the  Lake,  one  to  Losewa, 
which  is  west  of  this,  and  opposite  Kotakota;  the  other,  to 
Makatu,  is  farther  south:  the  first  is  five  days,  through  deserted 
country  chiefly ;  but  the  other,  seven,  among  people  and  plenty 
of  provisions  all  tlie  way. 

It  struck  me  after  Sef  had  numbered  up  the  losses  that  the 
Kilwa  people  sustained  by  death,  in  their  endeavors  to  enslave 
people,  similar  losses  on  the  part  of  those  who  go  to  "  proclaim 
liberty  to  the  captives,  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are 
bound  " — to  save  and  elevate,  need  not  be  made  so  very  much 
of  as  they  sometimes  are. 

Soon  after  our  arrival  we  heard  that  a  number  of  Mataka's 
Waiyau  had,  without  his  knowledge,  gone  to  Nyassa,  and  in  a 
foray  carried  off  cattle  and  people;  when  they  came  home  with 
the  spoil,  Mataka  ordered  all  to  be  sent  back  whence  they  came. 
The  chief  came  up  to  visit  me  soon  after,  and  I  told  him  that  his 
decision  was  the  best  piece  of  news  I  had  heard  in  the  country : 
he  was  evidently  pleased  with  my  approbation,  and,  turning  to 
his  people,  asked  if  they  heard  what  I  said.  He  repeated  my  re- 
mark, and  said,  "You  silly  fellows  think  me  wrong  in  returning 
the  captives,  but  all  wise  men  will  approve  of  it,"  and  he  then 
scolded  them  roundlj^. 

I  was  accidentally  spectator  of  this  party  going  back,  for  on 
going  out  of  the  town  I  saw  a  meat-market  opened,  and  people 
buying  with  maize  and  meal.  On  inquiring,  I  was  told  that  the 
people  and  cattle  there  were  the  Nyassas,  and  they  had  slaugh- 
tered an  ox,  in  order  to  exchange  meat  for  grain  as  provisions 
on  tlie  journey.  The  women  and  children  numbered  fifty-four, 
and  about  a  dozen  bo3's  were  engaged  in  milking  the  cow.s.  The 
cattle  were  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  head. 


I 


THE  SEPOYS  QUITE  INTOLERABLE.  73 

The  change  from  hard  and  scanty  fore  caused  illness  in  several 
of  our  party.  I  had  tasted  no  animal  food,  except  what  turtle- 
doves and  guinea-fowls  could  be  shot,  since  we  passed  Matawa- 
tawa — true,  a  fowl  was  given  by  Mtende.  The  last  march  was 
remarkable  for  the  scarcity  of  birds,  so  eight  days  were  spent  on 
porridge  and  rice  without  relish. 

I  gave  Mataka  a  trinket,  to  be  kept  in  remembrance  of  his 
having  sent  back  the  Nyassa  people ;  he  replied  that  he  would 
always  act  in  a  similar  manner.  As  it  was  a  spontaneous  act,  it 
was  all  the  more  valuable. 

The  sepoys  have  become  quite  intolerable,  and  if  I  can  not  get 
rid  of  them  we  shall  all  starve  before  we  accomplish  what  we 
wish.  They  dawdle  behind,  picking  up  wild  fruits,  and  over  our 
last  march  (which  we  accomplished  on  the  morning  of  the  eighth 
day)  they  took  from  fourteen  to  twenty -two  days.  Retaining 
their  brutal  feelings  to  the  last,  they  killed  the  donkey  which  I 
lent  to  the  havildar  to  carry  his  things,  by  striking  it  on  the  head 
when  in  boggy  places  into  which  they  had  senselessly  driven  it 
loaded ;  then  the  havildar  came  on  (his  men  pretending  they 
could  go  no  farther  from  weakness),  and  killed  the  young  buffa- 
lo and  ate  it,  when  they  thought  they  could  hatch  up  a  plausible 
story.  They  said  it  had  died,  and  tigers  came  and  devoured  it 
— they  saw  them.  ''Did  you  see  the  stripes  of  the  tiger?"  said 
I.  All  declared  that  they  saw  the  stripes  distinctly.  This  gave 
us  an  idea  of  their  truthfulness,  as  there  is  no  striped  tiger  in  all 
Africa.  All  who  resolved  on  skulking,  or  other  bad  behavior, 
invariably  took  up  with  the  sepoys;  their  talk  seemed  to  suit 
evil-doers,  and  they  were  such  a  disreputable-looking  lot  that  I 
was  quite  ashamed  of  them.  The  havildar  had  no  authority,  and 
all  bore  the  sulky,  dogged  look  of  people  going  where  they  were 
forced  but  hated  to  go.  This  hang-dog  expression  of  counte- 
nance was  so  conspicuous,  that  I  many  a  time  have  heard  the 
country  people  remark,  "  These  are  the  slaves  of  the  party." 
They  have  neither  spirit  nor  pluck  as  comj)ared  with  the  Afri- 
cans, and  if  one  saw  a  village  he  turned  out  of  the  way  to  beg  in 
the  most  abject  manner,  or  lay  down  and  .slept,  the  only  excuse 
afterward  being,  "My  legs  were  sore."  Having  allowed  some 
of  them  to  sleep  at  the  fire  in  my  house,  they  began  a  wholesale 
plunder  of  every  thing  they  could  sell,  as  cartridges,  clotli.s,  and 
meat;  so  I  had  to  eject  them.  One  of  them  then  threatened  to 
.shoot  my  interpreter,  Simon,  if  he  got  him  in  a  quiet  place  away 
from  tlie  Engli.sh  power.  As  this  threat  had  been  uttered  three 
times,  and  1  suspect  that  something  of  the  kind  had  prevented 


74 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


the  havildar  exerting  his  authority,  I  resolved  to' get  rid  of  them 
by  sending  them  back  to  the  coast  by  the  first  trader.  It  is  like- 
ly that  some  sympathizers  will  take  their  part,  but  I  strove  to 
make  them  useful.  They  had  but  poor  and  scanty  fare  in  a  part 
of  the  way,  but  all  of  us  suffered  alike.  They  made  themselves 
thoroughly  disliked  by  their  foul  talk  and  abuse;  and  if  any 
thins:  tended  more  than  another  to  show  me  that  theirs  was  a 
moral  unfitness  for  travel,  it  was  the  briskness  assumed  when 
they  knew  they  were  going  back  to  the  coast.  I  felt  inclined  to 
force  them  on,  but  it  would  have  been  acting  from  revenge  and 
to  pay  them  out,  so  I  forbore.  I  gave  Mataka  forty-eight  yards 
of  calico,  and  to  the  sepoys  eighteen  yards,  and  arranged  that  he 
should  give  them  food  till  Suleiman,  a  respectable  trader,  should 
arrive.  He  was  expected  every  day,  and  we  passed  him  near 
the  town.  If  they  chose  to  go  and  get  their  luggage,  it  was  of 
course  all  safe  for  them  behind.  The  havildar  begged  still  to  go 
on  with  me,  and  I  consented,  though  he  is  a  drag  ou  the  party; 
but  he  will  count  in  any  difficulty. 

Abraham  recognized  his  uncle  among  the  crowds  who  came 
to  see  us.  On  making  himself  known,  he  found  that  his  mother 
and  two  sisters  had  been  sold  to  the  Arabs  after  he  had  been  en- 
slaved. The  uncle  pressed  him  to  remain,  and  Mataka  urged, 
and  so  did  another  uncle,  but  in  vain.  I  added  my  voice,  and 
could  have  given  him  goods  to  keep  him  afloat  a  good  while,  but 
he  invariably  replied,  "How  can  I  stop  where  I  have  no  mother 
and  no  sister  ?"  The  affection  seems  to  go  to  the  maternal  side. 
I  suggested  that  he  might  come  after  he  had  married  a  wife ;  but 
I  fear  very  much  that,  unless  some  European  would  settle,  none 
of  these  Nassick  boys  will  come  to  this  country.  It  would  be  de- 
cidedly better  if  they  were  taught  agriculture  in  the  simplest  form, 
as  the  Indian.  Mataka  would  have  liked  to  put  his  oxen  to  use, 
but  Abraham  could  not  help  him  with  that.  He  is  a  smith,  or 
rather  a  nothing,  for  unless  he  could  smelt  iron  he  would  be  en- 
tirely without  materials  to  work  with. 

July  14:lh-28th. — One  day,  calling  at  Mataka's,  I  found  as  usual 
a  large  crowd  of  idlers,  who  alwa3\s  respond  with  a  laugh  to  every 
tiling  he  utters  as  wit  He  asked,  if  he  went  to  Bomba}'^  what 
ought  he  to  take  to  secure  some  gold?  I  replied,  "  Ivory."  He 
rejoined,  "Would  slaves  not  be  a  good  speculation?"  I  replied 
that,  "If  he  took  slaves  there  for  sale,  they  would  put  him  in 
prison."  The  idea  of  the  great  Mataka  in  "cliokee"  made  him 
wince,  and  the  langli  turned,  for  once,  against  him.  He  said  tlint 
as  all  the  people  from  the  coast  crowd  to  him,  tiiey  ought,  to  give 


COAST  ARABS  SUPPLY  GUNS. 


75 


him  something  handsome  for  being  here  to  supply  their  wants. 
I  replied,  if  he  would  fill  the  fine  well-watered  country  we  had 
passed  over  with  people  instead  of  sending  them  off  to  Kilwa,  he 
would  confer  a  benefit  on  visitors,  but  we  had  been  starved  on 
the  way  to  him ;  and  I  then  told  him  what  the  English  would  do 
in  road-making  in  a  fine  country  like  this.  This  led  us  to  talk 
of  railways,  ships,  plowing  with  oxen — the  last  idea  struck  him 
most  I  told  him  that  I  should  have  liked  some  of  the  Nassick 
boys  to  remain,  and  teach  this  and  other  things,  but  they  might 
be  afraid  to  venture  lest  they  should  be  sold  again.  The  men 
who  listened  never  heard  such  decided  protests  against  selling 
each  other  into  slavery  before ! 

The  idea  of  guilt  probably  floated  but  vaguely  in  their  minds, 
but  the  loss  of  life  we  have  witnessed  (in  the  guilt  of  which  the 
sellers  as  well  as  the  buyers  participate)  comes  home  very  forci- 
bly to  their  minds. 

Mataka  has  been  an  active  hand  in  slave  wars  liimself,  though 
now  he  wishes  to  settle  down  in  quiet.  The  Waiyau  generally 
are  still  the  most  active  agents  the  slave-traders  have.  The  car- 
avan leaders  from  Kilwa  arrive  at  a  Waiyau  village,  show  the 
goods  they  have  brought,  are  treated  liberally  by  the  elders,  and 
told  to  wait  and  enjoy  themselves;  slaves  enough  to  purchase 
all  will  be  procured :  then  a  foray  is  made  against  the  Manganja, 
who  have  few  or  no  guns.  The  Waiyau  who  come  against  them 
are  abundantly  supplied  with  both  by  their  coast  guests.  Sev- 
eral of  the  low-coast  Arabs,  who  differ  in  nothing  from  the  Wai- 
yau, usually  accompany  the  foray,  and  do  business  on  their  own 
account.  This  is  the  usual  way  in  which  a  safari  is  furnished 
with  slaves. 

Makanjela,  a  Waiyau  chief,  about  a  third  of  the  way  from 
Mtend(j's  to  Mataka,  has  lost  the  friendship  of  all  his  neighbors 
by  kidnaping  and  selling  their  people;  if  any  of  Mataka's  people 
are  found  in  the  district  between  Makanjela  and  ^[oembe,  they 
are  considered  fair  game,  and  sold.  Makanjela's  peoj)le  can  not 
pass  Mataka  to  go  to  the  Manganja,  so  they  do  what  they  can  by 
kidnaping  and  ])lundering  all  who  fall  into  their  hands. 

When  1  employed  two  of  Mataka's  people  to  go  back  on  the 
14th  with  food  to  the  havildar  and  sepoys,  they  went  a  little  way, 
and  relieved  some,  but  would  not  venture  as  far  as  the  Luatize, 
for  fear  of  losing  their  liberty  by  Makanjela's  pcojile.  I  could 
not  get  the  people  of  the  country  to  go  back ;  nor  could  I  ask 
the  Nassick  boys,  who  had  been  thrcatoncnl  by  the  scpovs  with 
assassination — and  it  was  the  same  with  the  Johanna  men,  be- 


76 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


cause,  though  Mohammedans,  the  sepoys  had  called  them  Caffirs, 
etc.,  and  they  all  declared,  "  We  are  ready  to  do  any  thing  for 
you,  but  we  will  do  nothing  for  these  Hindis."  I  sent  back  a 
sepoy,  giving  him  provisions;  he  sat  down  in  the  first  village, 
ate  all  the  food,  and  returned. 

An  immense  tract  of  country  lies  uninhabited.  To  the  north- 
east of  Aloembc  we  have  at  least  fifty  miles  of  as  fine  land  as  can 
be  seen  anywhere,  still  bearing  all  the  marks  of  having  once  sup- 
ported a  prodigious  iron-smelting  and  grain-growing  population. 
The  clay  pipes  which  are  put  on  the  nozzles  of  their  bellows  and 
inserted  inio  the  furnace  are  met  with  everywhere,  often  vitrified. 
Then  the  ridges  on  which  they  planted  maize,  beans,  cassava,  and 
sorghum,  and  which  they  find  necessary  to  drain  off  the  too-abun- 
dant moisture  of  the  rains,  still  remain  unleveled  to  attest  the  in- 
dustry of  the  former  inhabitants;  the  soil  being  clayey,  resists 
for  a  long  time  the  influence  of  the  weather.  These  ridges  are 
very  regular,  for  in  crossing  the  old  fields,  as  the  path  often  com- 
pels us  to  do,  one  foot  treads  regularly  on  the  ridge,  and  the 
other  in  the  hollow,  for  a  considerable  distance.  Pieces  of  broken 
pots,  with  their  rims  ornamented  with  very  good  imitations  of 
basket-work,  attest  that  the  lady  potters  of  old  followed  the  ex- 
ample given  them  by  their  still  more  ancient  mothers.  Their  de- 
signs are  ruQe,  but  better  than  we  can  make  them  without  refer- 
ring to  the  original. 


Iinitatioii  of  Basket-work  in  Pottery. 


No  want  of  water  has  here  acted  to  drive  the  people  away,  as 
has  been  the  case  farther  south.  It  is  a  perpetual  succession  of 
ridge  and  valley,  with  a  running  stream  or  oozing  bog,  where 
ridge  is  separated  from  ridge :  the  ridges  become  steeper  and  nar- 
rower as  we  approach  Mataka's. 

I  counted  fifteen  running  burns,  of  from  one  to  ten  yards  wide, 
in  one  day's  march  of  about  six  hours.  Being  in  a  hilly  or  rather 
mountainous  region,  they  flow  rapidly,  and  have  plenty  of  water- 
power.  In  July  any  mere  torrent  ceases  to  flow;  but  these  were 
brawling  burns,  with  water  too  cold  (61°)  for  us  to  bathe  in  whose- 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  WAIYAU. 


77 


pores  were  all  open  by  the  relaxing  regions  nearer  the  coast. 
The  sound,  so  un-African,  of  gushing  water  dashing  over  rocks 
was  quite  familiar  to  our  ears. 

Tliis  district,  which  rises  up  west  of  Mataka's  to  three  thousand 
four  hundred  feet  above  the  sea,  catches  a  great  deal  of  the  moist- 
ure brought  up  by  the  easterly  winds.  Many  of  the  trees  are  cov- 
ered with  lichens.  While  here,  we  had  cold  southerly  breezes, 
and  a  sky  so  overcast  every  day  after  10  A.M.,  that  we  could  take 
no  astronomical  observations:  even  the  latitude  was  too  poor  to 
be  much  depended  on :  12°  53'  S.  may  have  been  a  few  miles 
from  this. 

The  cattle,  rather  a  small  breed,  black  and  white  in  patches, 
and  brown,  with  humps,  give  milk  which  is  duly  prized  by  these 
Waiyau.  The  sheep  are  the  large-tailed  variety,  and  generally 
of  a  black  color.  Fowls  and  pigeons  are  the  only  other  domes- 
tic animals  we  see,  if  we  except  the  wretched  village  dogs,  which 
our  poodle  had  immense  delight  in  chasing. 

The  Waiyau  are  far  from  a  handsome  race,  but  they  arc  not 
the  prognathous  beings  one  sees  on  the  West  Coast  either.  Their 
heads  are  of  a  round  shape;  compact  foreheads,  but  not  particu- 
larly receding;  the  akn  nasi  are  flattened  out;  lips  full,  and  with 
the  women  a  small  lip-ring  just  turns  them  up  to  give  additional 
thickness.  Their  style  of  beauty  is  exactly  that  which  was  in 
fashion  when  the  stone  deities  were  made  in  the  caves  of  Ele- 
phanta  and  Kenora,  near  Bombay.  A  favorite  mode  of  dressing 
the  hair  into  little  knobs,  which  was  in  fashion  there,  is  more 
common  in  some  tribes  than  in  this.  The  mouths  of  the  women 
would  not  be  so  hideous  with  a  small  lip-ring  if  tlicy  did  not  file 
their  teeth  to  points,  but  they  seem  strong,  and  able  for  the  work 
which  falls  to  their  lot.  The  men  are  large,  strong-boned  fel- 
lows, and  capable  of  enduring 'great  fatigue;  they  undergo  a  rite 
which  once  distinguished  the  Jews  about  the  age  of  puberty,  and 
take  a  new  name  on  the  occasion ;  this  was  not  introduced  by 
the  Arabs,  whose  advent  is  a  recent  event,  and  they  speak  of  the 
time  before  they  were  inundated  witli  European  raanufiictures  in 
exchange  for  slaves,  as  quite  within  their  memory. 

Young  Mataka  gave  me  a  dish  of  pease,  and  usually  brought 
something  every  time  he  made  a  visit;  he  seems  a  nice  boy: 
and  his  fatlier,  in  speaking  of  learning  to  read,  said  he  and  his 
companions  could  learn,  but  he  himself  was  too  old.  The  soil 
'•ems  very  fertile,  for  the  sweet-potatoes  become  very  large,  and. 
wc  bought  two  loads  of  them  for  tliroe  cubits  and  two  needles; 
they  cpjitc  exceeded  one  hundred-weight.    The  maize  becomes 


78 


LiriXGSTOyE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


very  large  too;  one  cob  had  sixteen  hundred  seeds.  The  abun- 
dance of  water,  the  richness  of  soil,  the  available  labor  for  build- 
ing square  houses,  the  coolness  of  the  climate,  make  this  nearly 
as  desirable  a  residence  as  Magomero;  but,  alasf  instead  of  three 
weeks'  easy  sail  up  the  Zambesi  and  Shire,  we  have  spent  four 
weary  months  in  getting  here:  I  shall  never  cease  bitterly  to 
lament  the  abandonment  of  the  Magomero  mission. 

Moaning  seems  a  favorite  way  of  spending  the  time  with  some 
sick  folk.  For  the  sake  of  the  w^armth,  I  allowed  a  ISTassick  boy 
to  sleep  in  my  house;  he  and  I  had  the  same  complaint,  dysen- 
tery, and  I  was  certainly  worse  than  he,  but  did  not  moan,  while 
he  played  at  it  as  often  as  he  was  awake.  I  told  him  that  peo- 
ple moaned  only  when  too  ill  to  be  sensible  of  what  they  were 
doing ;  the  groaning  ceased,  though  he  became  worse. 

Three  sepoys  played  at  groaning  very  vigorously  outside  my 
door;  they  had  nothing  the  matter  with  them,  except  perhaps 
fatigue,  which  we  all  felt  alike.  As  these  fellows  prevented  my 
sleeping,  I  told  them  quite  civilly  that,  if  so  ill  that  they  required 
to  groan,  they  had  better  move  off  a  little  way,  as  I  could  not 
sleep ;  they  preferred  the  veranda,  and  at  once  forbore. 

The  abundance  of  grain  and  other  food  is  accompanied  by 
great  numbers  of  lats  or  large  mice,  which  play  all  manner  of 
pranks  by  night;  white  ants  have  always  to  be  guarded  against 
likewise.  Any  one  who  would  find  an  antidote  to  drive  them 
away  would  confer  a  blessing;  the  natural  check  is  the  driver 
ant,  which  when  it  visits  a  house  is  a  great  pest  for  a  time,  but  it 
clears  the  others  out. 


GEOLOGY  OF  THE  WAIYAU  LAND. 


79 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Geology  and  Description  of  the  Waiyaii  Land.— Leaves  Mataka's. — Tiie  Nyumbo- 
plant. — Native  Iron-foundry. — Blacksmiths. — Makes  for  the  Lake  Nyassa. — De- 
light at  seeing  the  Lake  once  more. — The  Manganja  or  Nyassa  Tribe. — Arab 
Slave-crossing. — Unable  to  jjrociire  Passage  across. — The  Kiingii  Fly. — Fear  of 
the  English  among  Slavers. — Lake  Shore. — Blue  Ink.— Chitane'  changes  Color. — 
The  Nsaka  Fish. — Makalaose'  drinks  Beer. — The  Saiijika  Fish. — London  Antiqui- 
ties.— Lake  Rivers. — Mukate's. — Lake  Pamalombe. — Mponda's. — A  Slave-gaug. 
— Wikatani  discovers  his  Relatives,  and  remains. 

July  28lh,  1866. — "We  proposed  to  start  to-day,  but  Mataka  said 
that  he  was  not  ready  yet :  the  flour  had  to  be  ground,  and  he 
had  given  us  no  meat.  He  had  sent  plenty  of  cooked  food  almost 
every  day.  He  asked  if  we  would  slaughter  the  ox  he  would 
give  here,  or  take  it  on  ;  we  preferred  to  kill  it  at  once.  He  came 
on  the  28th  with  a  good  lot  of  flour  for  us,  and  men  to  guide  us 
to  Nyas.sa,  telling  us  that  this  was  Moenibc,  and  his  district  ex- 
tended all  the  way  to  the  Lake :  he  would  not  send  us  to  Losewa, 
as  that  place  had  lately  been  plundered  and  burned. 

In  general,  the  chiefs  have  shown  an  anxiety  to  promote  our 
safety.  The  country  is  a  mass  of  mountains.  On  leaving  Mataka's, 
we  ascended  considerably;  and  about  the  end. of  the  first  day's 
inarch,  near  Magola's  village,  the  barometer  showed  our  greatest 
altitude,  about  three  thousand  four  hundred  feet  above  the  sea. 
There  were  villages  of  these  mountaineers  everywhere,  for  the 
most  part  of  one  hundred  houses  or  more  each.  The  springs 
were  made  the  most  use  of  that  they  knew ;  the  damp  spots 
drained,  and  tlie  water  given  a  free  channel  for  use  in  irrigation 
farther  down  :  most  of  these  springs  showed  the  presence  of  iron 
by  tlie  oxide  oozing  out.  A  great  many  patches  of  pease  are 
seen  in  full  bearing  and  flower.  The  trees  arc  small,  except  in 
the  hollows:  there  is  plenty  of  grass  and  flowers  near  streams 
;ind  on  the  heights.  The  mountain -tops  may  rise  two  or  three 
thousand  feet  above  their  flanks,  along  wliich  we  wind,  going 
[lerpctually  up  and  down  the  steep  ridges  of  which  the  country  is 
but  a  succession. 

Looking  at  the  geology  of  the  district,  the  plateaux  on  each 
-ide  of  the  Rovuma  arc  masses  of  gray  sandstone,  capped  with 
iiia.s.scs  of  ferrnginous' conglomerate;  apjiarcntly  an  aqueous  de- 
posit.   When  we  ascend  the  Rovuma  about  sixty  miles,  a  great 


80 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUEXALS. 


many  pieces  and  blocks  of  silicified  wood  appear  on  tlie  surface 
of  the  soil  at  the  bottom  of  the  slope  up  the  plateaux.  This  in 
Africa  is  a  sure  indication  of  the  presence  of  coal  beneath,  but  it 
was  not  observed  cropping  out ;  the  plateaux  are  cut  up  in  various 
directions  by  wadys  well  supplied  with  grass  and  trees  on  deep 
and  somewhat  sandy  soil;  but  at  the  confluence  of  the  Loendi 
highlands  they  appear  in  the  far  distance.-  In  the  sands  of  the 
Loendi  pieces  of  coal  are  quite  common.* 

Before  reaching  the  confluence  of  the  Eovuma  and  Loendi,  or 
say  about  ninety  miles  from  the  sea,  the  plateau  is  succeeded  by 
a  more  level  country,  having  detached  granitic  masses  shooting 
up  some  five  or  seven  hundred  feet.  The  sandstone  of  the  pla- 
teau has  at  first  been  hardened,  then  quite  "metamorphosed  into 
a  chocolate-colored  schist.  As  at  Chilole  hill,  we  have  igneous 
rocks,  apparently  trap,  capped  with  masses  of  beautiful  white 
dolomite.  We  still  ascend  in  altitude  as  we  go  westward,  and 
come  upon  long  tracts  of  gneiss  with  hornblende.  The  gneiss  is 
often  striated,  all  the  strias  looking  one  way — sometimes  north 
and  south,  and  at  other  times  east  and  west.  These  rocks  look 
as  if  a  stratified  rock  had  been  nearly  melted,  and  the  strata  fused 
together  by  the  heat.  From  these  striated  rocks  have  shot  up 
great  rounded  masses  of  granite  or  syenite,  whose  smooth  sides 
and  crowns  contain  scarcely  any  trees,  and  are  probably  from 
three  to  four  thousand  feet  above  the  sea.  The  elevated  plains 
among  these  mountain  masses  show  great  patches  of  ferruginous 
conglomerate,  which,  when  broken,  look  like  yellow  hematite 
with  madrepore  holes  in  it:  this  has  made  the  soil  of  a  red  color. 

On  the  water-shed  we  have  still  the  rounded  granitic  hills  jut- 
ting above  the  plains  (if  such  they  may  be  called),  which  are  nil 
ups  and  downs,  and  furrowed  with  innumerable  running  rills,  the 
sources  of  the  Eovuma  and  Loendi.  The  hicfhest  rock  observe  1 
with  mica  schist  was  at  an  altitude  of  three  thousand  four  hun- 
dred and  forty  feet.  The  same  uneven  country  prevails  as  we 
proceed  from  the  water-shed  about  forty  miles  down  to  the  Lake, 
and  a  great  deal  of  quartz  in  small  fragments  renders  traveling 
very  difficult.  Near  the  Lake,  and  along  its  eastern  shore,  we 
have  mica  schist  and  gneiss  foliated,  with  a  great  deal  of  horn- 
blende; but  the  most  remarkable  feature  of  it  is  that  the  rocks 
are  all  tilted  on  edge,  or  slightly  inclined  to  the  Lake.  The  active 
agent  in  effecting  this  is  not  visible.    It  looks  as  if  a  sudden  rent 

*  Coal  wns  sliown  to  ji  group  of  niitives  when  first  the  Pioneer  nsceiuled  the  River 
Shird.  Meinhers  of  numerous  tribes  were  present,  and  uU  recognized  it  at  once  as 
ni;ik!ilii,  or  coal. — En. 


THE  SLA  FEES  FEAR  DR.  LIVINGSTONE. 


81 


had  been  made,  so  as  to  form  the  Lake,  and  tilt  all  these  rocks 
neai  ly  over.  On  the  east  side  of  the  lower  part  of  the  Lake  we 
have  two  ranges  of  mountains,  evidently  granitic:  the  nearer  one 
covered  with  small  trees,  and  lower  than  the  other;  the  other 
jagged  and  bare,  or  of  the  granitic  forms.  But  in  all  this  coun- 
try no  fossil-yielding  rock  was  visible  except  the  gray  sandstone 
referred  to  at  the  beginning  of  this  note.  The  rocks  are  chiefly 
the  old  crj'stalline  forms. 

One  fine,  straight,  tall  tree  in  the  hollows  seemed  a  species  of 
fig:  its  fruit  was  just  forming,  but  it  was  too  high  for  me  to  as- 
certain its  species.  The  natives  do  not  eat  the  fruit,  but  they  eat 
the  large  grubs  which  come  out  of  it.  The  leaves  were  fifteen 
inches  long  by  five  broad :  they  call  it  Unguengo. 

July  29lJi. — At  Magola's  village.  Although  we  are  now  rid 
of  the  sepoj's,  we  can  not  yet  congratulate  ourselves  on  being  rid 
of  the  lazy  habits  of  lying  down  in  the  path  which  they  intro- 
duced. A  strong  scud  comes  up  from  the  south,  bringing  much 
moisture  with  it:  it  blows  so  hard  above,  this  may  be  a  storm  on 
the  coast.    Temperature  in  mornings,  55°. 

Jub/  BOlh. — A  short  march  brought  us  to  Pezimba's  village, 
which  consists  of  two  hundred  houses  and  huts.  It  is  placed 
very  nicely  on  a  knoll  between  two  burns,  which,  as  usual,  are 
made  use  of  for  irrigating  pease  in  winter-time.  The  head  man 
said  that  if  we  left  now  we  had  a  good  piece  of  jungle  before  us, 
and  would  sleep  twice  in  it  before  reaching  Mbanga.  We  there- 
fore remained.  An  Arab  party,  hearing  of  our  approach,  took  a 
circuitous  route  among  the  mountains  to  avoid  coming  in  con- 
tact with  us.  In  traveling  to  Pezimba's,  we  had  commenced  our 
western  descent  to  the  Lake,  for  we  were  now  lower  than  Mago- 
la's by  three  hundred  feet.  We  crossed  many  rivulets  and  the 
Lochcsi,  a  good-sized  stream.  The  water-shed  parts  some  streams 
for  Locndi  and  some  for  Kovuma.  There  is  now  a  decided  soant- 
iness  of  trees.  Many  of  the  hill-tops  are  covered  with  grass  or 
another  plant ;  there  is  pleasure  now  in  seeing  them  bare.  Ferns, 
rhododendrons,  and  a  foliaged  tree,  which  looks  in  the  distance 
like  silver  fir,  are  met  with. 

The  mandarc  root  is  here  called  nyumbo;  when  cooked,  it 
has  a  slight  degree  of  bitterness  with  it  whicli  cultivation  may  re- 
move. Mica  schist  crowned  some  of  the  heights  on  the  water- 
shed, then  gneiss,  and  now,  as  we  descend  farther,  we  Iiavc  ig- 
neous rocks  of  more  recent  eruption,  jKjrphyry  and  gneiss,  with 
hornblende.  A  good  deal  of  ferruginous  conglomerate,  with  iiolcs 
in  it,  covers  many  spots;  when  broken,  it  looks  like  yellow  hem- 


82 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


atite,  with  black  linings  to  the  holes:  this  is  probably  the  ore 
used  in  former  times  by  the  smiths,  of  whose  existence  we  now 
find  still  more  evidence  than  farther  east. 

July  Slst. — I  had  presented  Pezimba  with  a  cloth,  so  he  cook- 
ed for  us  handsomely  last  night,  and  this  morning  desired  us  to 
wait  a  little,  as  he  had  not  yet  sufficient  meal  made  to  present : 
we  waited  and  got  a  generous  present. 

It  was  decidedly  milder  here  than  at  Mataka's,  and  we  had 
a  clear  sky.  In  our  morning's  march  we  passed  the  last  of  the 
population,  and  went  on  through  a  fine,  well  -  watered,  fruitful 
country,  to  sleep  near  a  riiountain  called  Mtewire,  by  a  stream 
called  Msapo.  A  very  large  Arab  slave-party  was  close  by  our 
encampment,  and  I  wished  to  speak  to  the'm ;  but  as  soon  as 
they  knew  of  our  being  near  they  set  off  in  a  pathless  course 
across  country,  and  were  six  days  in  the  wilderness.* 

August  1st,  1866. — We  saw  the  encampment  of  another  Arab 
party.  It  consisted  of  ten  pens,  each  of  which,  from  the  number 
of  fires  it  contained,  may  liave  held  from  eighty  to  a  hundred 
slaves.  The  people  of  the  country  magnified  the  numbers,  say- 
ing that  they  would  reach  from  this  to  Mataka's;  but  from  all 
I  can  learn,  I  think  that  from  three  hundred  to  eight  hundred 
slaves  is  the  commoner  gang.  This  second  party  went  across 
country  very  early  this  morning.  We  saw  the  fire-sticks  which 
the  slaves  had  borne  with  them.  The  fear  they  feel  is  altogether 
the  effect  of  the  English  name,  for  we  have  done  nothing  to  cause 
their  alarm. 

August  2d. — There  was  something  very  cheering  to  me  in  the 
sight  at  our  encampment  of  yellow  grass  and  trees  dotted  over  it, 
as  in  the  Bechuana  country.  The  birds  were  singing  merrily  too, 
inspired  by  the  cold,  which  was  47°,  and  by  the  vicinity  of  some 
population.  Gum-copal-trees  and  bushes  grow  here  as  well  as 
all  over  the  country ;  but  gum  is  never  dug  for,  probably  be- 
cause the  trees  were  never  large  enough  to  yield  the  fossil  gum. 
Marks  of  smiths  are  very  abundant,  and  some  furnaces  arc  still 
standing.  Much  cultivation  must  formerly  have  been  where  now 
all  is  jungle. 

We  arrived  at  Mbanga,  a  village  embowered  in  tress,  chiefly 
of  the  euphorbia,  so  common  in  the  Manganja  country  farther 
south.  Kandulo,  the  head  man,  had  gone  to  drink  beer  at  anoth- 
er village,  but  sent  orders  to  give  a  hut  and  to  cook  for  us.  Wo 
remained  next  day.    Took  lunars. 


♦  Dr.  Livingstone  lienrd  this  subsequently  when  at  Cnsenibd's. 


WOODEN  IMPLEMENTS. 


83 


"We  had  now  passed  through,  at  the  narrowest  part,  the  hun- 
dred miles  of  depopulated  country,  of  which  about  seventy  are 
on  the  north-east  of  Mataka.  The  native  accounts  differ  as  to 
the  cause.  Some  say  slave  wars,  and  assert  that  the  Makoa  from 
the  vicinity  of  Mozambique  played  an  important  part  in  them ; 
others  say  famine;  others  that  the  people  have  moved  to  and  be- 
yond Nyassa.*  Certain  it  is,  from  the  potsherds  strewed  over  the 
country,  and  the  still  remaining  ridges  on  which  beans,  sorghum, 
maize,  and  cassava  were  planted,  that  the  departed  population 
was  prodigious.  The  Waiyau,  who  are  now  in  the  country,  came 
from  the  other  side  of  the  Eovuma,  and  they  probably  supplant- 
ed the  Manganja,  an  operation  which  we  see  going  on  at  the  pres- 
ent day. 

Awjust  4:th. — An  hour  and  a  half  brought  us  to  Miule,  a  vil- 
lage on  the  same  level  with  Mbanga;  and  the  chief  pressing  us 
to  stay,  on  the  plea  of  our  sleeping  two  nights  in  the  jungle,  in- 
stead of  one  if  we  left  early  next  morning,  we  consented.  I  ask- 
ed him  what  had  become  of  the  very  large  iron-smelting  popu- 
lation of  this  region ;  he  said  many  had  died  of  famine,  others 
had  fled  to  the  west  of  Nyassa.  The  famine  is  the  usual  effect 
of  slave  wars,  and  much  death  is  thereby  caused — probably  much 
more  than  by  the  journey  to  the  coast  He  had  never  heard  any 
tradition  of  stone  hatchets  having  been  used,  nor  of  stone  spear- 
heads or  arrow-heads  of  that  material,  nor  had  he  heard  of  any 
being  turned  up  by  the  women  in  hoeing.  The  Makondd,  as  we 
saw,  use  wooden  spears  where  iron  is  scarce.  I  saw  wooden  hoes 
used  for  tilling  the  soil  in  the  Be- 
chuana  and  Bataka  countries,  but 
never  stone  ones.  In  IS-il  I  saw  a 
Bushworaan  in  the  Cape  Colony 
with  a  round  stone  and  a  hole 
through  it;  on  being  asked,  she 
showed  me  how  it  was  used  by  in- 
'■rting  the  top  of  a  digging-stick 

1  to  it,  and   digging  a  root.     The     Digging-stick  weighted  with  Konnd 

lonc  was  to  give  the  stick  weight.  stone. 
The  stones  still  used  as  anvils  and  sledge-hammers  by  many 
I'the  African  smiths,  when  considered  from  their  point  of  view, 
I  show  sounder  sense  than  if  they  were  burdened  with  the  great 
weights  wc  use.    They  are  unacquainted  with  the  process  of 

•  Tlie  grpnter  part  were  driven  down  into  the  Mangiinjii  country  by  wnr  and  famine 
'mliin(!(l,  and  evontuiilly  filled  the  shive-gnnKS  of  the  Portuguese,  whoso  agents  wont 
oni  Tctte  and  Senna  to  procure  them. — Kii. 


84 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JUCEXALS. 


case-bardeuing,  which,  applied  to  certain  parts  of  our  anvils, 
gives  them  their  usefulness;  and  an  anvil  of  their  soft  iron 
would  not  do  so  well  as  a  hard  stone.  It  is  true  a  small  light 
one  might  be  made,  but  let  any  one  see  how  the  hammers  of 
their  iron  bevel  over  and  round  in  the  faces  with  a  little  work, 
and  he  will  perceive  that  only  a  wild  freak  would  induce  any 
sensible  native  smith  to  make  a  mass  equal  to  a  sledge-liaminer, 
and  burden  himself  with  a  weight  for  what  can  be  better  per- 
formed by  a  stone.  If  people  are  settled,  as  on  the  coast,  then 
they  gladly  use  any  mass  of  cast  iron  they  may  find,  but  never 
where,  as  in  the  interior,  they  have  no  certainty  of  remaining  any 
length  of  time  in  one  spot. 

August  olh. — We  left  Miule,  and  commeticed  our  march  to- 
ward Lake  Nyassa,  and  slept  at  the  last  of  the  streams  that  flow 
to  the  Loendi.  In  Mataka's  vicinity,  north-east,  there  is  a  per- 
fect brush  of  streams  flowing  to  that  river:  one  forms  a  lake  in 
its  course,  and  the  sources  of  the  Rovuma  lie  in  the  same  region. 
After  leaving  Mataka's,  we  crossed  a  good-sized  one  flowing  to 
Loendi,  and,  the  day  after  leaving  Pezimba's,  another  going  to 
the  Chiringa  or  Lochiringa,  which  is  a  tributary  of  the  Rovurna. 

August  6(h. — We  passed  two  cairns  this  morning  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  very  sensible  descent  to  the  Lake.  They  are  very 
common  in  all  this  Southern  Africa  in  the  passes  of  the  mount- 
ains, and  arc  meant  to  mark  divisions  of  countries,  perhaps  bu- 
rial-places; but  the  Waiyau  who  accompanied  us  thought  that 
they  were  merely  heaps  of  stone  collected  by  some  one  making 
a  garden.  The  cairns  were  placed  just  about  the  spot  where  the 
blue  waters  of  Nyassa  first  came  fairly  into  view. 

We  now  came  upon  a  stream,  the  Misinje,  flowing  into  the 
Lake,  and  we  crossed  it  five  times;  it  was  about  twenty  yards 
wide,  and  thigh-dcep.  We  made  but  short  stages  when  we  got 
on  the  lower  plateau,  for  the  people  had  great  abundance  of  food, 
and  gave  large  presents  of  it  if  we  rested.  One  man  gave  four 
fowls,  three  large  baskets  of  maize,  pumpkins,  eland's  fat — a  fine 
male,  as  seen  by  his  horns — and  pressed  us  to  stay,  that  he  might 
see  our  curiosities  as  well  as  others.  He  said  that  at  one  day  .- 
distance  south  of  him  all  sorts  of  animals,  as  buffaloes,  elands,  clc 
phants,  hippopotami,  and  antelopes,  could  be  shot. 

August  Sth. — We  came  to  the  Lake  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Misinje,  and  felt  grateful  to  That  Uand  which  had  protected  us 
thus  far  on  our  journey.  It  was  as  if  I  had  come  back  to  an  old 
home  T  never  expected  again  to  see;  and  pleasant  to  bathe  in 
the  delicious  waters  again,  hear  the  roar  of  the  sea,  and  dash  in 


EXDEAVOES  TO  CROSS  LAKE  XYASSA. 


85 


the  rollers.  Temperature,  71°  at  8  A.M.,  while  the  air  was  65°. 
I  feel  quite  exhilarated. 

The  head  man  here,  Mokalaose,  is  a  real  Manganja,  and  he 
and  all  his  people  exhibit  the  greater  darkness  of  color  conse- 
quent on  being  in  a  warm,  moist  climate ;  he  is  very  friendly, 
and  presented  millet,  porridge,  cassava,  and  hippopotamus-raeat 
boiled,  and  asked  if  I  liked  milk,  as  he  had  some  of  Mataka's  cat- 
tle here.  His  people  bring  sanjika,  the  best  Lake  fish,  for  sale; 
they  are  dried  on  stages  over  slow  fires,  and  lose  their  fine  flavor 
by  it,  but  they  are  much  prized  inland.  I  bought  fifty  for  a  fath- 
I  om  of  calico ;  when  fresh,  they  taste  exactly  like  the  best  her- 
I  rings,  i.  e.,  as  we  think,  but  voyagers'  and  travelers'  appetites  are 
often  so  whetted  as  to  be  incapable  of  giving  a  true  verdict  in 
matters  of  taste. 

[It  is  necessary  to  explain  that  Livingstone  knew  of  an  Arab 
.settlement  on  the  western  shore  of  the  Lake,  and  that  he  hoped 
to  induce  the  chief  man,  Jumbe,  to  give  him  a  passage  to  the 
other  side.] 

August  10th. — I  sent  Syed  MajiJs  letter  up  to  Jumb6,  but  the 
messenger  met  some  coast  Arabs  at  the  Loangwa,  whicli  may  be 
seven  miles  from  this,  and  they  came  back  with  him,  haggling  a 
deal  about  the  fare,  and  then  went  off,  saying  that  they  would 
bring  the  dhow  here  for  us.  Finding  that  they  did  not  come,  I 
sent  Musa,  who  brought  back  word  that  they  had  taken  the  dhow 
away  over  to  Jumbe  at  Kotakota,  or,  as  they  pronounce  it,  Ngota- 
gota.  Very  few  of  the  coast  Arabs  can  read  ;  in  words  they  are 
very  polite,  but  truthfulness  seems  very  little  regarded.  I  am 
resting  myself  and  people — working  up  journal,  lunars,  and  alti- 
tudes— but  will  either  move  south  or  go  to  the  Arabs  toward  the 
north  soon. 

!N[()kalaosc's  fears  of  the  Waiyau  will  make  him  welcome 
Jumbu  here,  and  then  the  Arab  will  some  day  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  scattering  his  people  as  he  has  done  those  at  Kotakota. 
lie  has  made  Losewa  too  hot  for  himself  "When  the  people 
there  were  carried  off  by  Mataka's  people,  Jumbe  seized  their 
stores  of  grain,  and  now  has  no  post  to  which  he  can  go  there. 
The  Loangwa  Arabs  give  an  awful  account  of  Jumbe's  murders 
ind  selling  the  people,  but  one  can  not  take  it  all  in  ;  at  the  mild- 
est it  must  have  been  bad.  This  is  all  they  ever  do;  they  can 
not  form  a  state  or  independent  kingdom  :  .slavery  ;ind  the  slave- 
trade  are  insuperable  obstacles  to  any  permanence  inland  ;  slaves 
can  escape  so  easily.    All,  therefore,  that  the  Arabs  do  is  to  col- 


86 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


lect  as  much  money  as  tliey  can  by  hook  and  by  crook,  and  then 
leave  the  country. 

We  notice  a  bird  called  namtambwe,  which  sings  very  nicely 
with  a  strong  voice  after  dark  here  at  the  Misinje  confluence. 

August  Wth. — Two  head  men  came  down  country  from  vil- 
lages where  we  slept,  bringing  us  food,  and  asking  how  we  are 
treated ;  they  advise  our  going,  south  to  Mukate's,  where  the  Lake 
is  narrow. 

August  12th-l-iih. — Map  making;  but  my  energies  were  sore- 
ly taxed  by  the  lazy  sepoys,  and  I  was  usually  quite  tired  out  at 
night.  Some  men  have  come  down  from  Mataka's,  and  report 
the  arrival  of  an  Englishman  with  cattle  for  me.  "  He  has  two 
eyes  behind  as  well  as  two  in  front:"  this  is 'enough  of  news  for 
a  while ! 

Mokalaose  has  his  little  afflictions,  and  he  tells  me  of  them.  A 
wife  ran  away ;  I  asked  how  many  he  had ;  he  told  me  twenty  in 
all :  I  then  thought  he  had  nineteen  too  many.  He  answered 
with  the  usual  reason,  "  But  who  would  cook  for  strangers  if  I 
had  but  one?" 

We  saw  clouds  of  "  kungu  "  gnats  on  the  Lake ;  they  are  not 
eaten  here.  An  ungenerous  traveler  coming  here  with  my  state- 
ment in  his  hand,  and  finding  the  people  denying  all  knowledge 
of  how  to  catch  and  cook  them,  might  say  that  I  had  been  ro- 
mancing in  saying  I  had  seen  them  made  into  cakes  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  Lake:  when  asking  here  about  them,  a  stranger 
said,  "They  know  how  to  use  them  in  the  north;  we  do  not." 

Mokalaos6  thinks  that  the  Arabs  are  afraid  that  I  may  take 
their  dhows  from  them  and  go  up  to  the  north.  He  and  the 
other  head  men  think  that  the  best  way  will  be  to  go  to  Mukate's 
in  the  south.  All  the  Arabs  flee  from  me,  the  English  name  be- 
ing in  their  minds  inseparably  connected  with  recapturing  slavers: 
they  can  not  conceive  that  I  have  any  other  object  in  view  ;  they 
can  not  read  Seyed  Majid's  letter. 

August  21si. — Started  for  the  Loangwa,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Lake ;  hilly  all  the  way,  about  seven  miles.  This  river  may  b(^ 
•twenty  yards  wide  near  its  confluence;  the  Misinji^  is  double 
that:  each  has  accumulated  a  promontory  of  deposit,  and  enters 
the  Lake  near  its  apex.  We  got  a  house  from  a  Waiyau  man 
on  a  bank  about  forty  feet  above  the  level  of  Nyassa,  but  I  could 
not  sleep  for  the  manoeuvres  of  a  crowd  of  the  minute  ants  which 
infested  it.  They  chirrup  distinctl}'^ ;  they  would  not  allow  tlio 
men  to  sleep  either,  though  all  were  pretty  tired  by  the  rough 
road  up. 


THE  EATABLE  INSECT,  "KUXGU." 


87 


August  22cl — We  removed  to  the  south  side  of  the  Loangwa, 
where  there  are  none  of  these  little  pests. 

August  23d. — Proposed  to  the  "Waiyau  head  man  to  send  a  ca- 
noe over  to  call  Jumbe,  as  I  did  not  believe  in  the  assertions  of 
the  half-caste  Arab  here  that  he  had  sent  for  his.  All  the  Wai- 
yau had  helped  me,  and  why  not  he?  He  was  pleased  with  this, 
but  advised  waiting  till  a  man  sent  to  Losewa  should  return. 

August  24:th. — A  leopard  took  a  dog  out  of  a  house  next  to 
ours ;  he  had  bitten  a  man  before,  but  not  mortally. 

August  29th. — News  come  that  the  two  dhows  have  come  over 
to  Losewa  (Losefa).  The  Mazitu  had  chased  Jumbe  up  the  hills : 
had  they  said,  on  to  an  island,  I  might  have  believed  them. 

August  30th. — The  fear  which  the  English  have  inspired  in  the 
Arab  slave-traders  is  rather  inconvenient.  All  flee  from  me  as 
if  I  had  the  plague,  and  I  can  not  in  consequence  transmit  letters 
to  the  coast,  or  get  across  the  Lake.  They  seem  to  think  that  if 
I  get  into  a  dhow  I  will  be  sure  to  burn  it.  As  the  two  dhows 
on  the  Lake  are  used  for  nothing  else  but  the  slave-trade,  their 
owners  have  no  hope  of  my  allowing  them  to  escape ;  so,  after  we 
have  listened  to  various  lies  as  excuses,  we  resolve  to  go  south- 
ward, and  cross  at  the  point  of  departure  of  the  Shire  from  the 
Lake.  I  took  lunars  several  times  on  both  sides  of  the  moon, 
and  have  written  a  dispatch  for  Lord  Clarendon,  besides  a  num- 
ber of  private  letters. 

September  3d,  1866. — Went  down  to  confluence  of  the  Misinj^, 
and  came  to  many  of  the  eatable  insect,  "kungu:"  they  are 
caught  by  a  quick  motion  of  the  hand,  holding  a  basket.  We 
got  a  cake  of  these  same  insects  farther  down ;  they  make  a  buzz 
like  a  swarm  of  bees,  and  arc  probably  the  perfect  state  of  some 
Lake  insect. 

I  observed  two  beaches  of  the  Lake:  one  about  fifteen  feet 
above  the  present  higli- water  mark,  and  the  other  about  forty 
above  that;  but  between  the  two  the  process  of  disintegration, 
which  results  from  the  sudden  cold  and  heat  in  these  rcmons, 
has  gone  on  so  much  that  seldom  is  a  well-rounded  smoothed 
one  .seen ;  the  lower  beach  is  very  well  marked. 

The  .strike  of  large  masses  of  foliated  gneiss  is  parallel  with 
the  major  axis  of  the  Lake,  and  all  are  tilted  on  edge.  Some  are 
I  little  inclined  to  the  Lake,  as  if  dipping  to  it  westward,  but 
others  arc  as  much  inclined  the  opposite  way,  or  twisted. 

1  made  very  good  blue  ink  from  the  juice  of  a  berry,  the  fruit 
of  a  creeper,  wliieli  is  the  color  of  Port-wine  when  expressed.  A 
little  ferri  carb.  ainmon.  added  to  this  is  all  that  is  required. 


88 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


The  poodle-dog  Chitanc  is  rapidly  changing  the  color  of  its 
hair.  All  the  parts  corresponding  to  the  ribs  and  neck  are 
rapidly  becoming  red;  the  majority  of  country  dogs  are  of  this 
color. 

The  Manganja,  or  Wa-nyassa,  are  an  aboriginal  race;  they 
have  great  masses  of  hair,  and  but  little,  if  any,  of  the  prog- 
nathous in  the  profile.  Their  bodies  and  limbs  are  ver\^  well 
made,  and  the  countenance  of  the  men  is  often  very  pleasant. 
The  -women  are  very  plain  and  lumpy,  but  exceedingly  industri- 
ous in  their  gardens  from  early  morning  till  about  11  a.m.,  then 
from  3  P.M.  till  dark,  or  pounding  corn  and  grinding  it:  the  men 
make  twine  or  nets  by  day,  and  are  at  their  fisheries  in  the  even- 
ings and  nights.    They  build  the  huts ;  the  Women  plaster  them. 

A  black  fish,  the  Nsaka,  makes  a  hole,  with  raised  edges, 
which,  with  the  depth  from  which  they  are  taken,  is  from  fifteen 
to  eighteen  inches,  and  from  two  to  three  feet  broad.  It  is  called 
by  the  natives  their  house.  The  pair  live  in  it  for  some  time,  or 
until  the  female  becomes  large  for  spawning;  this  operation  over, 
the  house  is  left. 

I  gave  Mokalaosd  some  pumpkin-seed  and  pease.  He  took  me 
into  his  house,  and  presented  a  quantity  of  beer.  I  drank  a  lit- 
tle, and  seeing  me  desist  from  taking  more,  he  asked  if  I  wished 
a  servant-girl  to  pata  viimba."  Not  knowing  what  was  meant, 
I  offered  the  girl  the  calabash  of  beer,  and  told  her  to  drink,  but 
this  was  not  the  intention.  He  asked  if  I  did-not  wish  more; 
and  then  took  the  vessel,  and  as  he  drank  the  girl  performed  the 
operation  on  himself.  Placing  herself  in  front,  she  put  both 
hands  round  his  waist  below  the  short  ribs,  and,  pressing  grad- 
ually, drew  them  round  to  his  belly  in  front.  He  took  several 
prolonged  draughts,  and  at  each  she  repeated  the  operation,  as  if 
to  make  the  liquor  go  equally  over  the  stomach.  Our  topers  do 
not  seem  to  have  discovered  the  need  for  this. 

Seiotemher  5th.  —  Our  march  is  along  the  shore  to  Ngombo 
promontory,  which  approaches  so  near  to  Scnga  or  Tsenga  op- 
posite, as  to  narrow  the  Lake  to  some  sixteen  or  eighteen  miles. 
Tt  is  a  low  sandy  point,  the  edge  fringed  on  the  north-west  and 
part  of  the  south  with  a  belt  of  papyrus  and  reeds;  the  central 
parts  wooded.  Part  of  the  south  side  has  high  sandy  dunes, 
blown  up  by  the  south  wind,  which  strikes  it  at  right  angles 
there.  One  was  blowing  as  we  marched  along  the  southern  side 
eastward,  and  was  very  tiresome.  We  reached  Panthunda's  vil- 
lage by  a  brook  called  Lilole.  Another  we  crossed  before  com- 
ing to  it  is  named  Libcsa:  these  brooks  form  the  favorite  spawn- 


DEPOPVLATION  BY  SLAVE  WARS. 


89 


ing-grounds  of  tlie  sanjika  and  mpasa,  two  of  the  best  fishes  of 
the  Lake.  The  sanjika  is  very  like  our  herring  in  shape  and 
taste  and  size ;  the  mpasa  larger  every  way :  both  live  on  green 
herbage  formed  at  the  bottom  of  the  Lake  and  rivers. 

September  7ih. — Chirumba's  village  being  on  the  south  side  of  a 
long  lagoon,  we  preferred  sleeping  on  the  main-land,  though  they 
offered  their  cranky  canoes  to  feriy  us  over.  This  lagoon  is 
called  Pansangwa. 

September  8th. — In  coming  along  the  southern  side  of  Ngombo 
promontory  we  look  eastward,  but  when  we  leave  it  we  turn 
southward,  having  a  double  range  of  lofty  mountains  on  our  left. 
These  are  granitic  in  form,  the  nearer  range  being  generally  the 
lowest,  and  covered  with  scraggy  trees ;  the  second,  or  more  east- 
erly, is  some  six  thousand  feet  above  the  sea,  bare  and  rugged, 
with  jagged  peaks  shooting  high  into  the  air.  This  is  probably 
the  newest  range.  The  oldest  people  have  felt  no  earthquake, 
but  some  say  that  they  have  heard  of  such  things  from  their 
elders. 

We  passed  very  many  sites  of  old  villages,  which  are  easily 
known  by  the  tree  euphorbia  planted  round  an  umbelliferous 
one,  and  the  sacred  fig.  One  species  here  throws  out  strong 
buttresses  in  the  manner  of  some  mangroves  instead  of  sending 
down  twiners  which  take  root,  as  is  usually  the  case  with  the 
tropical  fig.  These,  with  millstones — stones  for  holding  the  pots 
in  cooking — and  upraised  clay  benches,  which  have  been  turned 
into  brick  by  fire  in  the  destruction  of  the  huts,  show  what  were 
once  the  "plea.sant  haunts  of  men."  No  stone  implements  ever 
appear.  If  they  existed  they  could  not  escape  notice,  since  the 
eyes,  in  walking,  are  almost  always  directed  to  the  ground,  to 
avoid  stumbling  on  stones  or  stumps.  In  some  parts  of  tlie 
world  stone  implements  are  so  common  they  seem  to  have  been 
often  made  and  discarded  as  soon  as  formed,  possibly  by  getting 
better  tools;  if,  indeed,  tlie  manufacture  is  not  as  modern  as  that 
found  by  Mr.  Waller.  Passing  some  navvies  in  the  City  who 
were  digging  for  the  foundation  of  a  house,  he  observed  a  very 
antique-looking  vase,  wet  from  the  clay,  standing  on  the  bank, 
lie  gave  ten  shillings  for  it,  and  subsequently,  by  the  aid  of  a 
scrubbing-brush  and  some  water,  detected  the  hieroglyphics, 
"  Copeland  late  Spodo,"  on  the  bottom  of  it ! 

Here  the  destruction  is  quite  recent,  and  has  been  brought 
about  by  some  who  entertained  us  very  hospitably  on  the  Misinje, 
before  we  came  to  the  conflucmce.  The  woman  c])ief,  Ulenjelen- 
ji!;,  or  Njclciijc,  bore  a  part  in  it  for  the  supply  of  Arab  caravans. 


90 


LiriNGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOVRNALS. 


It  was  the  work  of  the  Masininga,  a  Waiyau  tribe,  of  which  her 
people  form  a  part.  They  almost  depopulated  the  broad  fertile 
tract,  of  some  three  or  four  miles,  between  the  mountain  range 
and  the  Lake,  along  which  our  course  lay.  It  was  wearisome  to 
see  the  skulls  and  bones  scattered  about  everywhere ;  one  would 
fain  not  notice  them,  but  they  are  so  striking  as  one  trudges  along 
the  sultry  path,  that  it  can  not.be  avoided. 

September  9th. — We  spent  Sunday  at  Kandango's  village.  The 
men  killed  a  hippopotamus  when  it  was  sleeping  on  the  shore — 
a  full-grown  female,  ten  feet  nine  inches  from  the  snout  to  the  in- 
sertion of  the  tail,  and  four  feet  four  inches  high  at  the  withers. 
The  bottom  here  and  all  along  southward  now  is  muddy.  Many 
of  the  Siluris  Glanis  are  caught  equal  in  length  to  an  eleven  or  a 
twelve  pound  salmon,  but  a  great  portion  is  head ;  slowly  roast- 
ed on  a  stick  stuck  in  the  ground  before  the  fire,  they  seemed  to 
me  much  more  savory  than  I  ever  tasted  them  before.  With 
the  mud  we  have  many  shells:  north  of  Ngombo  scarcely  one 
can  be  seen,  and  there  it  is  sandy  or  rocky. 

September  10th. — In  marching  southward,  we  came  close  to  the 
range  (the  Lake  lies  immediately  on  the  other  side  of  it),  but  we 
could  not  note  the  bays  which  it  forms ;  we  crossed  two  mount- 
ain torrents  from  sixty  to  eighty  yards  broad,  and  now  only  an- 
kle-deep. In  flood  these  bring  down  enormous  trees,  which  are 
much  battered  and  bruised  among  the  rocks  in  their  course ;  they 
spread  over  the  plain,  too,  and  would  render  traveling  here  in 
the  rains  impracticable.  .After  spending  the  night  at  a  very  civil 
head  man's  chefu,  we  crossed  the  Lotendd,  another  of  these  tor- 
rents: each  vcr}'  lofty  mass  in  the  range  seemed  to  give  rise  to 
one.  Nothing  of  interest  occurred  as  we  trudged  along.  A  vcr}^ 
poor  head  man,  Pamawawa,  presented  a  roll  of  salt  instead  of 
food:  this  was  grateful  to  us,  as  we  have  been  without  that  lux- 
ury some  time. 

September  12th. — We  crossed  the  rivulet  Nguena,  and  then 
went  on  to  another,  witli  a  large  village  by  it;  it  is  called  Pan- 
toza  Pangone.  The  head  man  liad  been  suffering  from  sore  eyes 
for  four  months,  and  pressed  me  to  stop  and  give  him  medicine, 
which  I  did. 

September  ISth. — We  crossed  a  strong  brook  called  Nkoro. 
My  object  in  mentioning  tlie  brooks  which  were  flowing  at  tliis 
time,  and  near  the  end  of  the  dry  season,  is  to  give  an  idea  of  the 
sources  of  supply  of  evaporation.  The  men  enumerate  the  fol- 
lowing, north  of  the  Misiiije.  Those  which  are  greater  are  mark- 
ed thus  -|-,  and  the  lesser  ones  — . 


THE  LAKE'S  TRIBUTARY  STREAMS. 


91 


1.  Misinjc  +  has  canoea 

2.  Loaiigwa  — , 

3.  Lesefa  — , 

4.  Lelula  — , 

5.  Nchamatlje  — , 

6.  Musumba  +, 

7.  Fubwe  +, 

8.  Chia  -, 

9.  Kisanga  + , 

10.  Bweka-, 

11.  Cliifumero  +  has  canoes. 

12.  Loangwa  — , 

13.  Mkoho  -, 

1-L  Mangwelo  —  at  N.  end  of  Lake. 

Including  the  above,  there  are  twenty  or  tweuty-four  perennial 
brooks  and  torrents  which  give  a  good  supply  of  water  in  the 
dry  season:  in  the  wet  season  they  are  supplemented  by  a  num- 
ber of  burns,  which,  though  flowing  now,  have  their  mouths 
blocked  up  with  bars  of  sand,  and  yield  nothing  except  by  per- 
colation. The  Lake  rises  at  least  four  feet  perpendicularly  in  the 
wet  season,  and  has  enough  during  the  year  from  these  perennial 
brooks  to  supply  the  Shire's  continual  flow. 

[It  will  be  remembered  that  the  beautiful  river  Shird  carries 
off  the  waters  of  Lake  Nyassa  and  joins  the  Zambesi  near  Mount 
Morambala,  about  ninety  miles  from  the  sea.  It  is  by  this  wa- 
ter-way that  Livingstone  always  hoped  to  find  an  easy  access  to 
Central  Africa.  The  only  obstacles  that  exist  are,  first,  the  fool- 
ish policy  of  the  Portuguese  with  regard  to  customs'  duties  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Zambesi ;  and  secondly,  a  succession  of  cata- 
racts on  the  Sliire,  which  impede  navigation  for  seventy  miles. 
The  first  hinderancc  may  give  way  under  more  liberal  views 
than  those  which  prevail  at  present  at  the  Court  of  Lisbon,  and 
then  the  remaining  difficulty — accepted  as  a  fact — will  be  solved 
by  the  establishment  of  a  boat  service  both  above  and  below  the 
cataracts.  Had  Livingstone  survived,  he  would  have  been  cheer- 
ed by  hearing  that  already  several  schemes  are  afoot  to  {)lant 

'  missions  in  the  vicinity  of  Lake  Nya.ssa;  and^we  may  with  con- 
fidence look  to  the  revival  of  the  very  enterprise  which  he  pres- 
ently .so  bitterly  deplores  as  a  thing  oi' the  past,  for  Bishop  Steere 
has  fully  dL-tcnnincd  to  re-occupy  the  district  in  wliieli  lull  his 

jl  predecessor,  Bishop  Mackenzie,  and  others  attached  to  the  L^ni- 

'   versities  Mission.] 

In  the  course  of  this  day's  march  we  were  pushed  close  to  the 


92 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Lake  bj  Mount  Gome,  and,  being  now  within  three  miles  of  the 
end  of  the  Lake,  we  could  see  the  whole  plainly.  There  we  first 
saw  the  Shire  emerge,  and  there  also  we  first  gazed  on  the  broad 
waters  of  N3'assa. 

Many  hopes  have  been  disappointed  here.  Far  down  on  the 
risrht  bank  of  the  Zambesi  lies  the  dust  of  her  whose  death 
changed  all  my  future  prospects;  and  now,  instead  of  a  check 
being  given  to  the  slave-trade  by  lawful  commerce  on  the  Lake, 
slave-dhows  prosper ! 

An  Arab  slave-party  fled  on  hearing  of  us  yesterday.  It  is 
impossible  not  to  regret  the  loss  of  good  Bishop  Mackenzie,  who 
sleeps  far  down  the  Shire,  and  with  him  all  hope  of  the  Gospel 
being  introduced  into  Central  Africa.  The  silly  abandonment 
of  all  the  advantages  of  the  Shire  route  by  the  bishop's  successor 
I  shall  ever  bitterly  deplore;  but  all  will  come  right  some  day, 
though  I  may  not  live  to  participate  in  the  joy,  or  even  see  the 
commencement  of  better  times. 

In  the  evening  we  reached  the  village  of  Cherekalongwa,  on 
the  brook  Pamchololo,  and  were  very  jovially  received  by  the 
head  man  with  beer.  He  says  that  Mukate,*  Kabinga,  and 
Mponda  alone  supply  the  slave-traders  now  by  raids  on  the  Man- 
ganja,  but  they  go  south-west-to  the  Maravi,  who,  impoverished 
by  a  Mazitu  raid,  sell  each  other  as  well. 

September  14//<. — At  Cherekalongwa's  (who  has  a  skin  disease, 
believed  by  him  to  have  been  derived  from  eating  fresh-water 
turtles),  we  were  requested  to  remain  one  day,  in  order  that  he 
might  see  us.  He  had  heard  much  about  us;  had  been  down 
the  Shire,  and  as  far  as  Mozambique,  but  never  had  an  Eiigli.sh- 
raan  in  his  town  before.  As  the  heat  is  great,  we  were  glad  of 
the  rest  and  beer,  with  which  he  very  freely  supplied  us. 

I  saw  the  skin  of  a  Phenembe,  a  species  of  lizard  wliich  de- 
vours chickens;  here  it  is  named  Salka.  It  had  been  flayed  by 
a  cut  up  the  back — body,  twelve  inches;  across  belly,  ten  inches. 

After  nearly  giving  up  the  search  for  Dr.  Roscher's  point  of 
reaching  the  Lake — because  no  one,  either  Arab  or  native,  had 
the  least  idea  of  either  Nusseewa  or  Makawa,  the  name  given  to 
the  place  —  I  discovered  it  in  Lessefa,  the  accentuated  c  being 
sounded  as  our  e  in  set.  This  word  would  puzzle  a  German  phi- 
lologist, as  being  the  origin  of  Nussewa;  but  the  Wai3^au  pro- 
nounce it  Loscwa,  the  Arabs  Lusscwa,  and  Koscher's  servant 
transformed  the  L  and  e  into  N  and  ce,  hence  Nusseewa.  In 


*  rronounced  Mknta  by  the  Waiynu. — En. 


AN  INTOXICANT  BEAN. 


93 


confirmation  of  this  rivulet,  Lesefa,  which  is  opposite  Kotakota, 
or,  as  the  Arabs  pronounce  it,  Nkotakota,  the  chief  is  Mangkaka 
(Makawa) ;  or,  as  there  is  a  confusion  of  names  as  to  chief,  it  may 
be  Mataka,  whose  town  and  district  is  called  Moembe,  the  town 
Pamoembe  =  Mamemba. 

I  rest  content  with  Kingomango  so  far  verifying  the  place  at 
which  he  arrived  two  months  after  we  had  discovered  Lake 
Nyassa.    He  deserved  all  the  credit  due  to  finding  the  way  thith- 
er, but  he  traveled  as  an  Arab,  and  no  one  suspected  him  to  be 
any  thing  else.    Our  visits  have  been  known  far  and  wide,  and 
great  curiosity  excited ;  but  Dr.  Roscher  merits  the  praise  only 
of  preserving  his  incognilo  at  a  distance  from  Kilwa:  his  is  al- 
most the  only  case  known  of  successfully  assuming  the  Arab 
guise — Burckhardt  is  the  exception.    When  Mr.  Palgrave  came 
I    to  Muscat,  or  a  town  in  Oman  where  our  political  agent,  Colonel 
Desborough,  was  stationed,  he  was  introduced  to  that  functionary 
,    by  an  interpreter  as  Hajee  Ali,  etc.    Colonel  Desborough  replied, 
"  You  are  no  Hajee  Ali,  nor  any  thing  else  but  Giffoni  Palgrave, 
with  whom  I  was  school-fellow  at  the  Charter  House."  Colonel 
Desborough  said  he  knew  him  at  once,  from  a  peculiar  way  of 
I    holding  his  head,  and  Palgrave  begged  him  not  to  disclose  his 
I    real  character  to  his  interpreter,  on  whom  and  some  others  be 
had  been  imposing.    I  was  told  this  by  Mr.  Dawes,  a  lieutenant 
in  the  Indian  navy,  who  accompanied  Colonel  Pelly  in  his  visit 
I   to  the  Nejed,  Riad,  etc.,  and  took  observations  for  him. 

Tanrjare  is  the  name  of  a  rather  handsome  bean,  which  possess- 
1   es  intoxicating  qualities.    To  extract  these,  it  is  boiled,  then  peel- 
I   ed,  and  new  water  supplied  :  after  a  second  and  third  boiling,  it 
I   is  pounded,  and  the  meal  taken  to  the  river  and  the  water  allow- 
j   ed  to  percolate  through  it  several  times.    Twice  cooking  still 
leaves  the  intoxicating  quality;  but  if  eaten  then,  it  does  not 
cause  death :  it  is  curious  that  the  natives  do  not  use  it  expressly 
to  produce  intoxication.    When  planted  near  a  tree,  it  grows  all 
over  it,  and  yields  abundantly :  the  skin  of  the  pod  is  velvety, 
like  our  broad  beans. 

Another  bean,  with  a  pretty  white  mark  on  it,  grows  freely, 
and  is  easily  cooked,  and  good :  it  is  called  here  Oxcingioiza. 

September  Iblh. — Wc  were  now  a  short  distance  south  of  the 
Tjakc,  and  might  have  gone  west  to  Mosauka's  (called  by  some 
Pasauka's)  to  cross  the  Shire  there,  but  I  thought  that  my  visit 
to  Mukat^'s,  a  Waiyau  chief  still  farther  south,  might  do  good. 
He,  Mpoiula,  and  Kabinga  are  the  only  throe  chiefs  who  still 
carry  on  raids  against  the  Manganja  at  the  instigation'  of  the 

7 


94 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


coast  Arabs,  and  they  are  now  sending  periodical  marauding- 
parties  to  the  Maravi  (here  named  Malola)  to  supply  the  Kilwa 
slave-traders.  We  marched  three  hours  southward,  then  up  the 
hills  of  the  range  which  flanks  all  the  lower  part  of  the  Lake. 
The  altitude  of  the  town  is  about  eight  hundred  feet  above  the 
Lake.  The  population  near  the  chief  is  large,  and  all  the  heights 
as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  are  crowned  with  villages.  The  sec- 
ond range  lies  a  few  miles  off,  and  is  covered  with  trees  as  well 
as  the  first;  the  nearest  high  mass  is  Mangoche.  The  people 
live  amidst  plenty.  All  the  chiefs  visited  by  the  Arabs  have 
good  substantial  square  houses  built  for  their  accommodation. 
Mukate  never  saw  a  European  before,  and  every  thing  about  us 
is  an  immense  curiosity  to  him  and  to  his  people.  We  had  long 
visits  from  him.  He  tries  to  extract  a  laugh  out  of  every  re- 
mark. He  is  darker  than  the  generality  of  Waiyau,  with  a  full 
beard  trained  on  the  chin,  as  all  the  people  hereabouts  have — 
Arab  fashion.  The  courts  of  his  women  cover  a  large  space,  our 
house  being  on  one  side  of  them.  I  tried  to  go  out  that  way,  but 
wandered ;  so  the  ladies  sent  a  servant  to  conduct  me  out  in  the 
direction  I  wished  to  go,  and  we  found  egress  by  passing  through 
some  huts  with  two  doors  in  them. 

Sejitemher  16th. — At  Mukate's.  The  Prayer-book  does  not  give 
ignorant  persons  any  idea  of  an  unseen  Being  addressed  ;  it  looks 
more  like  reading  or  speaking  to  the  book :  kneeling  and  pray- 
ing with  eyes  shut  is  better  than  our  usual  way  of  holding  Divine 
service. 

We  had  a  long  discussion  about  the  slave-trade.  The  Arabs 
have  told  the  chief  that  our  object  in  capturing  slaves  is  to  get 
them  into  our  own  possession,  and  make  them  of  our  own  relig- 
ion. The  evils  which  we  have  seen — the  skulls,  the  ruined  vil- 
lages, the  numbers  who  perish  on  the  way  to  the  coast  and  on  the 
sea,  the  wholesale  murders  committed  by  the  Waiyau  to  build  up 
Arab  villages  elsewhere — these  things  Mukatd  often  tried  to  turn 
off  with  a  laugh,  but  our  remarks  are  safely  lodged  in  many 
hearts.  Next  da}'',  as  we  went  along,  our  guide  spontaneously 
delivered  their  substance  to  the  different  villages  along  our 
route.  Before  we  reached  him,  a  head  man,  in  convoying  me 
a  mile  or  two,  whispered  to  me,  "Speak  to  Mukate  to  give  his 
foray's  up." 

It  is  but  little  we  can  do;  but  wc  lodge  a  protest  in  the  heart 
against  a  vile  system,  and  time  may  ripen  it.  Tlieir  great  argu- 
ment isj  "  Wliat  could  we  do  without  Arab  cloth?"  My  answer 
is,  "Do  what  you  did  before  the  Arabs  came  into  the  country." 


EARTHQUAKES.— THE  "MARAFL" 


95 


At  the  present  rate  of  destruction  of  population,  the  whole  coun- 
try will  soon  be  a  desert. 

An  earthquake  happened  here  last  year,  that  is,  about  the  end 
of  it,  or  beginning  of  this  (the  crater  on  the  Grand  Comoro  Island 
smoked  for  three  months  about  that  time) ;  it  shook  all  the  houses 
and  every  thing,  but  they  observed  no  other  effects.*  No  hot 
springs  are  known  here, 

September  17th.  —  We  marched  down  from  Mukatd's  and  to 
about  the  middle  of  the  lakelet  Pamalombd.  Mukate  had  no 
people  with  canoes  near  the  usual  crossing-place,  and  he  sent  a 
messenger  to  see  that  we  were  foirly  served.  Here  we  got  the 
Manganja  head  men  to  confess  that  an  earthquake  had  happened ; 
all  the  others  we  have  inquired  of  have  denied  it;  why,  I  can 
not  conceive.  The  old  men  said  that  they  had  felt  earthquakes 
twice :  once  near  sunset,  and  the  next  time  at  night — they  shook 
every  thing,  and  were  accompanied  with  noise,  and  all  the  fowls 
cackled ;  there  was  no  effect  on  the  Lake  observed.  They  profess 
ignorance  of  any  tradition  of  the  water  having  stood  higher.  Their 
traditions  say  that  they  came  originally  from  the  west,  or  west- 
north-west,  which  they  call  "Maravi;"  and  that  their  forefathers 
taught  them  to  make  nets  and  kill  fish.  They  have  no  trace  of 
any  teaching  by  a  higher  instructor;  no  carvings  or  writing  on 
the  rocks;  and  they  never  heard  of  a  book  until  we  ca-me  among 
them.  Their  forefathers  never  told  them  that  after,  or  at  death, 
they  went  to  God,  but  they  had  heard  it  said  of  such  a  one  who 
died,  "God  took  him." 

September  18th. — We  embarked  the  whole  party  in  eight  ca- 
noes, and  went  up  the  Lake  to  the  point  of  junction  between  it 
and  the  prolongation  of  Nyassa  above  it,  called  Massangano 
("meetings"),  which  took  us  two  hours.  A  fishing-party  there 
fled  on  seeing  us,  though  we  shouted  that  we  were  a  traveling- 
party  (or  "Olendo"). 

Mukatd's  people  here  left  us,  and  T  walked  up  to  the  village 
of  the  fugitives  with  one  nttendatit  only.  Tlieir  suspicions  were 
so  tliorouglily  aroused  that  they  would  do  nothing.  The  head 
man  (Pima)  was  said  to  be  absent;  they  could  not  lend  ns  a  hut, 


*  Earthqunkos  are  by  no  means  nnconinr\on.  A  sliglit  shock  was  felt  in  18f>l  at 
Magomero ;  on  asking  ilie  natives  if  tliey  knew  tiie  cause  of  it,  they  replied  that  on 
one  occasion,  after  a  very  severe  earthquake  which' shook  houUlcrs  otf  the  niounlains, 
all  the  wise  men  of  the  country  assemliled  to  talk  aliout  it,  and  came  to  the  following 
conclusion  :  that  a  star  had  fallen  from  heaven  into  the  sea,  and  that  the  hiihbliiig 
caused  the  whole  earth  to  rock.  They  said  the  ell'ect  was  the  same  as  that  caused 
by  throwing  a  red-hot  stone  into  a  pot  of  water.  — ICd. 


96 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


but  desired  us  to  go  on  to  Mponda's.  We  put  up  a  shed  for  our- 
selves, and  next  morning,  though  we  pressed  tliem  for  a  guide, 
no  one  would  come. 

From  Pima's  village  we  had  a  fine  view  of  Pamalomb^  and 
the  range  of  hills  on  its  western  edge,  the  range  which  flanks  the 
lower  part  of  N3'assa — on  part  of  which  Mukate  lives — the  gap 
of  low  land  south  of  it  behind  which  Shirwa  Lake  lies,  and  Chi- 
kala  and  Zomba  nearly  due  south  from  us.  People  say  hippo- 
potami come  from  Lake  Shirwa  into  Lake  Nyassa.  There  is 
a  great  deal  of  vegetation  in  Pamalombe,  gigantic  rushes,  duck- 
weed, and  great  quantities,  of  aquatic  plants  on  the  bottom  ;  one 
slimy  translucent  plant  is  washed  ashore  in  abundance.  Fish  be- 
come very  fat  on  these  plants;  one  called  "kadiakola"  I  eat 
much  of;  it  has  a  good  mass  of  flesh  on  it. 

It  is  probable  that  the  people  of  Lake  Tanganyika  and  Nyassa, 
and  those  on  the  rivers  Shir^  and  Zambesi,  are  all  of  one  stock, 
for  the  dialects  vary  very  little.*  I  took  observations  on  this 
point.    An  Arab  slave-party,  hearing  of  us,  decamped. 

September  19(h. — When  we  had  proceeded  a  mile  this  morning  . 
we  came  to  three  or  four  hundred  people  making  salt  on  a  plain 
impregnated  with  it.  They  lixiviate  the  soil  and  boil  the  water, 
which  has  filtered  through  a  bunch  of  grass  in  a  hole  in  the  bot- 
tom of  a  pot,  till  all  is  evaporated  and  a  mass  of  salt  left.  We 
held  along  the  plain  till  we  came  to  Mponda's,  a  large  village, 
with  a  stream  running  past.  The  plain  at  the  village  is  very 
fertile,  and  has  many  large  trees  on  it.  The  cattle  of  Mponda  are 
like  fatted  Madagascar  beasts,  and  the  hump  seems  as  if  it  would 
weigh  one  hundred  pounds.f  The  size  of  body  is  so  enormous 
that  their  legs,  as  remarked  by  our  men,  seemed  very  small. 
Mponda  is  a  blustering  sort  of  person,  but  immensely  interested 
in  every  thing  European.  He  says  that  he  would  like  to  go  with 
me.  "  Would  not  care  though  he  were  away  ten  years." — I  say 
that  he  may  die  in  the  journey. — "He  will  die  here  as  well  as 
there,  but  he  will  see  all  the  wonderful  doings  of  our  country." 
He  knew  me,  having  come  to  the  boat  to  take  a  look  incognito 
when  we  were  here  formerly. 

We  found  an  Arab  slave-party  here,  and  went  to  look  at  the 
slaves;  seeing  tliis,  Mponda  was  alarmed  lest  we  should  proceed 
to  violence  in  his  town,  but  I  said  to  him  that  we  went  to  look 

♦  'I'lie  Waiyau  language  differs  very  much  from  the  Nyassa,  and  is  exceedingly 
difficult  to  master :  it  holds  good  from  the  coast  to  Nyassa,  but  to  the  west  of  the 
Lake  ilie  Nyassa  tongue  is  .spoken  over  a  vast  tract. — En. 

t  We  shall  see  that  more  to  the  north  the  luinip  entirely  disappears. 


HALT  OF  THE  SLAVE- GANG. 


97 


only.  Eighty-five  slaves  were  in  a  pen  formed  of  dura  stalks 
{Holcm  sorghum).  The  majority  were  boys  of  about  eight  or  ten 
years  of  age;  others  were  grown  men  and' women.  Nearly  all 
were  in  the  taming  -  stick;  a  few  of  the  younger  ones  were  in 
thongs,  the  thong  passing  round  the  neck  of  each.  Several  pots 
were  on  the  fires  cooking  dura  and  beans.  A  crowd  went  with 
us,  expecting  a  scene;  but  I  sat  down,  and  asked  a  few  questions 
about  the  journey,  in  front.  The  slave-party  consisted  of  five  or 
six  half-caste  coast  Arabs,  who  said  that  they  came  from  Zanzi- 
bar; but  the  crowd  made  such  a  noise  that  we  could  not  hear 
ourselves  speak.  I  asked  if  they  had  any  objections  to  my  look- 
ing at  the  slaves;  the  owners  pointed  out  the  different  slaves,  and 
said  that  after  feeding  them,  and  accounting  for  the  losses  in  the 
way  to  the  coast,  they  made  little  by  the  trip.  I  suspect  that  the 
gain  is  made  by  those  who  ship  them  to  the  ports  of  Arabia,  for 
at  Zanzibar  most  of  the  younger  slaves  we  saw  went  at  about 
seven  dollars  a  head.  I  said  to  them  it  was  a  bad  business  alto- 
gether.   They  presented  fowls  to  me  in  the  evening. 

September  20th. — The  chief  begged  so  hard  that  I  would  stay 
another  day  and  give  medicine  to  a  sick  child,  that  I  consented. 
He  promised  plenty  of  food,  and,  as  an  earnest  of  his  sincerity, 
I  sent  an  immense  pot  of  beer  in  the  evening.  The  child  had  been 
benefited  by  the  medicine  given  yesterday,  lie  offbred  more 
food  than  we  chose  to  take. 

The  agricultural  class  does  not  seem  to  be  a  servile  one:  all 
cultivate,  and  the  work  is  esteemed.  The  chief  was  out  at  his 
garden  when  we  arrived,  and  no  disgrace  is  attached  to  the  field 
laborer.  The  slaves  very  likely  do  the  chief  part  of  the  work, 
but  all  engage  in  it,  and  are  proud  of  their  skill.  Here  a  great 
deal  of  grain  is  raised,  though  nearly  all  the  people  are  Waiyau 
or  Macliinga.  This  is  rernarkal)le,  as  they  have  till  lately  been 
marauding  and  moving  from  place  to  place.  The  Manganja  pos- 
sessed the  large  breed  of  humped  cattle  which  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  Waiyau,  and  knew  how  to  milk  them.  Their  present  own- 
ers never  milk  them,  and  they  iiavc  dwindled  into  a  few  instead 
of  the  thousands  of  former  times.* 

A  lion  killed  a  woman  early  yesterday  morning,  and  ate  most 
of  her  undisturbed. 

It  is  getting  very  hot ;  the  ground  to  the  feet  of  the  men  "burns 

•  It  is  very  Kiiigiihir  to  wifiiess  tlic  disgust  willi  wliieti  tlic  ideii  of  (Irinkiiig  milk  is 
r    received  hv  most  of  iliese  tiil)es  when  wc  iemt'nii)cr  that  tiie  CiillVe  nations  on  tlic 
south,  iind  nxain,  tiihes  more  to  the  north,  subsist  principniiy  on  it.    A  hid  will  nn- 
dergo  ])uni>hniont  railier  than  milk  a  goat.  Kggs  arc  likewise  steadily  eschewed.— Eu. 


98 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


like  fire"  after  noon,  so  we  are  now  obliged  to  make  short 
marches,  and  early  in  the  morning  chiefly. 

Wikatani — Bishop  Mackenzie's  favorite  boy  —  met  a  brother 
here,  and  he  finds  that  he  has  an  elder  brother  and  a  sister  at 
Kabinga's.  The  father  who  sold  him  into  slavery  is  dead.  He 
wishes  to  stop  with  his  relatives,  and  it  will  be  well  if  he  does. 
Though  he  has  not  much  to, say,  what  he  does  advance  against 
the  slave-trade  will  have  its  weight,  and  it  will  all  be  in  the  way 
of  preparation  for  better  times  and  more  light. 

The  elder  brother  was  sent  for,  but  had  not  arrived  when  it 
was  necessary  for  us  to  leave  Mponda's  on  the  rivulet  Nteman- 
gokwe.  I  therefore  gave  Wikatani  some  cloth,  a  flint-gun  in- 
stead of  the  percussion  one  he  carried,  some' flints,  paper  to  write 
upon,  and  commended  him  to  Mponda's  care  till  his  relatives 
arrived.  He  has  lately  shown  a  good  deal  of  levity,  and  perhaps 
it  is  best  that  he  should  have  a  touch  of  what  the  world  is  in 
reality. 

[In  a  letter  written  about  this  time  Dr.  Livingstone,  in  speak- 
ing of  Wikatani,  says,  "He  met  with  a  brother,  and  found  that 
he  had  two  brothers  and  one  or  two  sisters  living  down  at  the 
western  shore  of  Lake  Pamalorabe  under  Kabinga.  He  thought 
that  his  relatives  would  not  again  sell  him.  I  had  asked  him  if 
he  wished  to  remain,  and  he  at  once  said  yes,  so  I  did  not  at- 
tempt to  dissuade  him :  his  excessive  levity  will  perhaps  be  cool- 
ed by  marriage.  I  think  he  may  do  good  by  telling  some  of 
what  he  has  seen  and  heard.  I  asked  him  if  he  would  obey  an 
order  from  his  chief  to  hunt  the  Manganja,  and  he  said,  'No.'  I 
hope  he  will  not.  In  the  event  of  any  mission  coming  into  the 
country  of  Mataka,  he  will  go  there.  I  gave  him  paper  to  write 
to  you,*  and,  commending  him  to  the  chiefs,  bade  the  poor  boy 
farewell.  I  was  sorry  to  part  with  him,  but  tlie  Arabs  tell  tlie 
Wai3\au  chiefs  that  our  object  in  liberating  slaves  is  to  make 
them  our  own,  and  turn  them  to  our  religion.  I  had  declared  to 
them  through  Wikatani  as  interpreter,  that  they  never  became 
our  slaves,  and  were  at  liberty  to  go  back  to  their  relatives  if 
they  liked  ;  and  now  it  was  impossible  to  object  to  Wikatani  go- 
ing without  stullifving  my  own  statements."  It  is  only  necessa- 
ry to  repeat  that  Wikatani  and  Chuma  had  been  liberated  from 
the  slavers  by  Dr.  Livingstone  and  Bishop  Mackenzie  in  1861 : 
they  were  mere  children  when  set  free. 

We  must  not  forget  to  record  the  fact  that  when  Mr.  Young 
reached  Maponda,  two  years  afterward,  to  ascertain  whether  the 
Doctor  really  had  been  murdered,  as  Musa  declared,  he  was  most 


♦  To  myself. — Ed. 


DISTINCTIVE  TATTOOING. 


99 


hospitably  received  by  the  chief,  who  had  by  this  time  a  great 
appreciation  of  every  thing  English.] 

The  lines  of  tattoo  of  the  different  tribes  serve  for  ornaments, 
and  are  resorted  to  most  by  the  women:  it  is  a  sort  of  heraldry 
closely  resembling  the  Highland  tartans. 


Mftnganja  and  Miicbiiiga  ^Vomeu  (from  a  Drawiug  by  the  late  Dr.  Meller). 


100 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Crosses  Cape  Maclear. — The  Havildar  demoralized. — The  discomfited  Chief. — Reach- 
es Marenga's  Town. — The  Earth-sponge. — Description  of  Marenga's  Town. — liu- 
mors  of  Mazitu. — Musa  and  the  Johanna  Men  desert. — Reaches  Kimsusa's. — His 
Delight  at  seeing  the  Doctor  once  more. — The  fat  Ram. — Kimsnsa  relates  his  Ex- 
perience of  Livingstone's  Advice. — Chuma  finds  Relatives. — Kimsusa  solves  the 
Transport  Difficulty  nobly. — Another  old  fishing  Acquaintance. — Description  of 
the  People  and  Country  on  the  west  of  the  Lake. — The  Kanthundas.^ — Kauma. — 
Iron-smelting.- — An  African  Sir  Colin  Campbell. — Milandos. 

Septeraher  21.?^,  1866. — We  marched  westward,  making  across 
the  base  of  Cape  Maclear.  Two  men  employed  as  guides  and 
carriers,  went  along  grumbling  that  their  dignity  was  so  outraged 
by  working:  "Only  fancy  Waiyau  carrying  like  slaves!"  They 
went  but  a  short  distance,  and  took  advantage  of  my  being  in 
front  to  lay  down  the  loads,  one  of  which  consisted  of  the  havil- 
dar's  bed  and  cooking  things ;  here  they  opened  the  other  bun- 
dle and  paid  themselves — the  gallant  havildar  sitting  and  look- 
ing on.  He  has  never  been  of  the  smallest  use,  and  lately  has 
pretended  to  mysterious  pains  in  his  feet;  no  swelling  or  other 
symptom  accompanied  this  complaint.  On  coming  to  Pima's 
village  he  ate  a  whole  fowl  and  some  fish  for  supper,  slept  sound- 
ly till  day-break,  then,  on  awaking,  commenced  a  furious  groan- 
ing: "His  feet  were  so  bad."  I  told  him  that  people  usually 
moaned  when  insensible,  but  he  had  kept  quiet  till  he  awaked; 
he  sulked  at  this,  and  remained  all  da}^,  though  I  sent  a  man.  to 
carry  his  kit  for  him,  and  when  he  came  up  he  had  changed  the 
seat  of  his  complaint  from  his  feet  to  any  part  of  his  abdomen. 
He  gave  off  his  gun-belt  and  pouch  to  the  carrier.  This  w\as  a 
blind  to  me,  for  I  examined  and  found  that  he  had  already  been 
stealing  and  selling  his  ammunition :  this  is  all  preparatory  to 
returning  to  the  coast  with  some  slave-trader.  Nothing  can  ex- 
ceed the  ease  and  grace  with  which  sepoys  can  glide  from  a 
swagger  into  the  most  abject  begging  of  food  from  the  villagers. 
He  has  remained  behind. 

September  22(1. — The  hills  we  crossed  were  about  seven  hun- 
dred feet  above  Nyassa,  generally  covered  with  trees;  ho  people 
were  seen.  We  slept  by  the  brook  Sikochd.  Rocks  of  harden- 
ed sandstone  rested  on  mica  schist,  which  had  an  cfilorcscencc  of 
alum  on  it;  above  this  was  dolomite;  the  hills  often  capped  with 


THE  EARTH- SPONGE  DESCRIBED.  101 

it  and  oak-spar,  giving  a  snowy  appearance.  We  hod  a  Waiyau 
party  with  us — six  handsomely-attired  women  carried  huge  pots 
of  beer  for  their  husbands,  who  very  liberally  invited  us  to  par- 
take. After  seven  hours'  hard  traveling  we  came  to  the  village, 
where  we  spent  Sunday  by  the  torrent  Usangazi,  and  near  a 
remarkable  mountain,  Namasi.  The  chief,  a  one-eyed  man,  was 
rather  coy  —  coming  incorjnito  to  visit  us;  and,  as  I  suspected 
that  he  was  present,  I  asked  if  the  chief  were  an  old  woman, 
afraid  to  look  at  and  welcome  a  stranger?  All  burst  into  a 
laugh,  and  looked  at  him,  when  he  felt  forced  to  join  in  it,  and 
asked  what  sort  of  food  we  liked  best.  Chuma  put  this  clear 
enough  by  saying,  "He  eats  every  thing  eaten  by  the  "Waiyau." 
This  tribe,  or  rather  the  Machinga,  now  supersede  the  Manganja. 
i  We  passed  one  village  of  the  latter  near  this,  a  sad,  tumble-down 
affair,  while  the  Waiyau  villages  are  very  neat,  with  handsome 
straw  or  reed  fences  all  around  their  huts. 

September        — We  went  only  two  and  a  half  miles  to  the 
village  of  Marenga,  a  very  large  one,  situated  at  the  eastern  edge 
j  of  the  bottom  of  the  heel  of  the  Lake.    The  chief  is  ill  of  a 
I  loathsome  disease  derived  direct  from  the  Arabs.    Eaised  patch- 
'  es  of  scab  of  circular  form  disfigure  the  face  and  neck  as  well  as 
other  parts.    His  brother  begged  me  to  see  him  and  administer 
some  remedy  for  the  same  complaint.    He  is  at  a  village  a  little 
way  off,  and  though  sent  for,  was  too  ill  to  come  or  to  be  carried. 
I  The  tribe  is  of  Babisa  origin.    Many  of  these  people  had  gone  to 
the  coast  as  traders,  and,  returning  with  arms  and  ammunition, 
joined  the  Waiyau  in  their  forays  on  the  Manganja,  and  evcntu- 
jally  set  themselves  up  as  an  independent  tribe.    The  women  do 
not  wear  the  lip-ring,  though  the  majority  of  them  are  Waiyau. 
They  cultivate  largely,  and  have  plenty  to  eat.    Tlicy  have  cat- 
tle, but  do  not  milk  them. 

The  bogs,  or  earthen  sponges,*  of  this  country  occupy  a  most 
I  important  part  in  its  physical  geography,  and  probably  explain 
the  annual  inundations  of  most  of  the  rivers.  Wherever  a  plain 
sloping  toward  a  narrow  opening  in  hills  or  higher  ground  ex- 
ists, there  we  have  the  conditions  requisite  for  the  formation  of 
an  African  sponge.  The  vegetation,  not  being  of  a  heathy  or 
ipeat-forniing  kind,  falls  down,  rots,  and  then  forms  rich  black 
loam.  In  many  cases  a  ma.ss  of  this  loam,  two  or  three  feet  thick, 
rests  on  a  bed  of  pure  river  sand,  which  is  revealed  by  crabs  and 

•Dr.  Livingstoiio's  description  of  the  "Sponci.'"  will  slniitl  the  icmler  iti  kooiI 
stead  when  he  conie.s  to  the  coiistuiit  nicnlion  of  lliesc  uhsti  iittioiis  in  the  lulur  trav- 
toward  the  norlli. — Ed. 


102 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Other  aquatic  animals  bringing  it  to  the  surface.  At  present,  in 
the  dry  season,  the  black  loam  is  cracked  in  all  directions,  and 
the  cracks  are  often  as  much  as  three  inches  wide,  and  very  deep. 
The  whole  surfoce  has  now  fallen  down,  and  rests  on  the  sand, 
but  when  the  rains  come,  the  first  supply  is  nearly  all  absorbed 
in  the  sand.  The  black  loam  forms  soft  slush,  and  floats  on  the 
sand.  The  narrow  opening  prevents  it  from  moving  off  in  a  land- 
slip, but  an  oozing  spring  rises  at  that  spot.  All  the  pools  in  the 
lower  portion  of  this  spring-course  are  filled  by  the  first  rains, 
which  happen  south  of  the  equator  when  the  sun  goes  vertically 
over  any  spot.  The  second,  or  greater  rains,  happen  in  his  course 
north  again,  when  all  the  bogs  and  river-courses  being  wet,  the 
supply  runs  off,  and  forms  the  inundation :'  this  was  certainly  the 
case  as  observed  on  the  Zambesi  and  Shire,  and,  taking  the  dif- 
ferent times  for  the  sun's  passage  north  of  the  equator,  it  explains 
the  inundation  of  the  Nile. 

September  2oth. — Marenga's  town  on  the  west  shore  of  Lake 
N^'assa  is  very  large,  and  his  people  collected  in  great  numbers 
to  gaze  at  the  stranger.  The  chief's  brother  asked  a  few  ques- 
tions, and  I  took  the  occasion  to  be  a  good  one  for  telling  him 
something  about  the  Bible  and  the  future  state.  The  men  said 
that  their  fathers  had  never  told  them  aught  about  the  soul,  but 
they  thought  that  the  whole  man  rotted  and  came  to  nothing. 
What  I  said  was  very  nicely  put  by  a  volunteer  spokesman,  who 
seemed  to  have  a  gift  that  way,  for  all  listened  most  attentively, 
and  especially  when  told  that  our  Father  in  heaven  loved  all,  and 
heard  prayers  addressed  to  him. 

Marenga  came  dressed  in  a  red-figured  silk  shawl,  and  attend- 
ed by  about  ten  court  beauties,  who  spread  a  mat  for  him,  then  a 
cloth  above,  and  sat  down  as  if  to  support  him.  He  asked  me  to 
examine  his  case  inside  a  hut.  lie  exhibited  his  loathsome  skin 
disease,  and  being  blacker  than  his  wives,  the  blotches  with  which 
he  was  covered  made  him  appear  very  ugly.  lie  thought  that 
the  disease  was  in  the  country  before  Arabs  came.  Another  new 
disease  acquired  from  them  was  the  small-pox. 

September  26th. — An  Arab  passed  us  yesterday,  his  slaves  go- 
ing by  another  route  across  the  base  of  Cape  Maclean  He  told 
Musa  that  all  the  country  in  front  was  full  of  Mazitu ;  that  forty 
four  Arabs  and  their  followers  had  been  killed  by  them  at  Ka- 
sungo,  and  he  only  escaped.  Musa  and  all  the  Johanna  men  now 
declared  that  they  would  go  no  farther.  Musa  said,  "  No  gooc 
country  that;  I  want  to  go  back  to  Johanna  to  see  my  fathei 
and  mother  and  son."    I  took  him  to  Marenga,  and  asked  the 


THE  JOHANNA  MEN  DESERT. 


103 


chief  about  the  Mazitu.  He  explained  that  the  disturbance  was 
caused  by  the  Manganja  finding  that  Jumbe  brought  Arabs  and 
ammunition  into  the  country  every  year,  and  they  resented  it  in 
consequence ;  they  would  not  allow  more  to  come,  because  they 
were  the  sufferers,  and  their  nation  was  getting  destroyed. 

I  explained  to  Musa  that  we  should  avoid  the  Mazitu  :  Maren- 
ga  added,  "  There  are  no  Mazitu  near  where  you  are  going ;"  but 
Musa's  eyes  stood  out  with  terror,  and  he  said,  "  I  no  can  believe 
that  man."  But  I  inquired,  "How  can  you  believe  the  Arab  so 
easily  ?"    Musa  answered,  "  I  ask  him  to  tell  me  true,  and  he  say 

■  true,  true,"  etc. 

When  we  started,  all  the  Johanna  men  walked  off,  leaving  the 
goods  on  the  ground.    They  have  been  such  inveterate  thieves 

I  that  I  am  not  sorry  to  get  rid  of  them  ;  for  though  my  party  is 

'  now  inconveniently  small,  I  could  not  trust  them  with  flints  in 
their  guns,  nor  allow  them  to  remain  behind,  for  their  object  was 

I  invariably  to  plunder  their  loads. 

[Here,  then,  we  have  Livingstone's  account  of  the  origin  of  that 
well-told  story,  which  at  first  seemed  too  true.  How  Mr.  Edward 
Young,  R.  N.,  declared  it  to  be  false,  and  subsequently  proved  it 
untrue,  is  already  well  known.    This  officer's  quick  voyage  to 

I  Lake  Nyassa  refiected  the  greatest  ci'edit  on  him,  and  all  hearts 
were  filled  with  joy  when  he  returned  and  reported  the  tale  of 
Livingstone's  murder  to  be  merely  an  invention  of  Musa  and  his 
comrades.] 

I  olight  to  mention  that  the  stealing  by  the  Johanna  men  was 
not  the  effect  of  hunger;  it  attained  its  height  when  we  had  plen- 
ty. If  one  remained  behind,  we  knew  his  object  in  delaying  was 
stealing.  He  gave  what  he  filched  to  the  others,  and  Musa  shared 
the  dainties  they  bought  with  the  stolen  property.  When 
spoken  to  he  would  say,  "I  every  day  tell  Johanna  men  no  steal 
Doctor's  things."    As  he  came  away  and  left  them  in  the  march, 

I I  insisted  on  his  britigiiig  up  all  his  men ;  this  he  did  not  relish, 
'and  the  amount  stolen  was  not  small.    One  stole  fifteen  ])Ounds 

of  fine  powder,  another  seven,  another  left  six  table-cloths  out  of 
[about  twenty-four;  another  called  out  to  a  man  to  bring  a  fish, 

and  he  would  buy  it  with  beads,  the  beads  being  stolen,  and  Musa 
jknew  it  all  and  connived  at  it;  but  it  was  terror  that  drove  him 
•away  at  last. 

3  With  our  goods  in  canoes  wc  went  round  the  bottom  of  the 
heel  of  Nyas.sa,  slept  among  reeds,  and  next  morning  (27th)  land- 
ed at  Msangwa,  which  is  nearly  opposite  Kimsusa's,  or  Katosa's, 
08  the  Makololo  called  him.     A  man  had  been  taken  off"  by  a 


104 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


crocodile  last  night;  be  had  been  drinking  beer,  and  went  down 
to  the  water  to  cool  himself,  where  he  lay  down,  and  the  brute 
seized  him.  The  water  was  very  muddy,  being  stirred  up  by  an 
east  wind,  which  lashed  the  waves  into  our  canoes,  and  wetted 
our  things.  The  loud  wail  of  the  women  is  very  painful  to  hear ; 
it  sounds  so  dolefully. 

September  28th. — We  reached  Kirasusa's,  below  Mount  Mulun- 
dini,  of  Kirk's  range.*  The  chief  was  absent,  but  he  was  sent  for 
immediately :  his  town  has  much  increased  since  I  saw  it  last. 

September  29th. — Another  Arab  passed  last  night  with  the  tale 
that  his  slaves  had  all  been  taken  from  him  by  the  Mazitu.  It 
is  more  respectable  to  be  robbed  by  them  than  by  the  Manganja, 
who  are  much  despised,  and  counted  nobodies.  I  propose  to  go 
west  of  this  among  the  Maravi  until  quite  away  beyond  the  dis- 
turbances, whether  of  Mazitu  or  Manganja. 

Sptcmher  SOfh. — We  enjoy  our  Sunday  here.  We  have  abun- 
dance of  food  from  Kirasusa's  wife.  The  chief  wished  me  to  go 
alone  and  enjoy  his  drinking  bout,  and  then  we  could  return  to 
this  place  together ;  but  this  was  not  to  my  taste. 

October  1st,  1866. — Kimsusa,  or  Mchusa,  came  this  morning, 
and  seemed  very  glad  again  to  see  his  old  friend.  He  sent  off  at 
once  to  bring  an  enormous  ram,  which  had  either  killed  or  seri- 
ously injured  a  man.  The  animal  came  tied  to  a  pole  to  keep 
him  off  the  man  who  held  it,  while  a  lot  more  carried  him.  He 
was  prodigiously  fat  ;f  this  is  a  true  African  way  of  showing 
love — plenty  of  fat  and  beer.  Accordingly  the  chief  brought  a 
huge  basket  of  "pombe,"  the  native  beer,  and  another  of  "  nsima," 
or  porridge,  and  a  pot  of  cooked  meat;  to  these  were  added  a 
large  basket  of  maize.  So  much  food  had  been  brought  to  us 
that  we  had  at  last  to  explain  that  we  could  not  carry  it. 

[The  Doctor  states  a  fact  in  the  next  few  lines  which  shows 
that  the  Africans  readily  profit  by  advice  which  appeals  to  their 
common  sense,  and  we  make  this  observation  in  full  knowledge 
of  similar  instances.] 

Kimsusa  says  that  they  felt  earthquakes  at  the  place  Mponda 
now  occupies,  but  none  where  he  is  now.    He  confirms  the  tra- 


♦  So  named  when  Dr.  Livingstone,  Dr.  Kirk,  nnd  Mr.  Charles  Livingstone  discov- 
ered Lake  Nyassa  togcllier. 

t  The  sheep  are  of  tlie  Ijlack-iiaired  variety  :  their  tails  grow  to  an  enormous  size. 
A  ram  which  came  from  Niinkajowa,  a  Waiyau  diief,  on  a  former  occasion,  was 
found  lo  have  a  tail  weigliin;;  eleven  jiounds  ;  hut  for  tlic  journey,  and  two  or  three 
days'  short  commons,  an  extra  two  or  three  jwunds  of  fat  would  have  been  on  it.—  Ki>. 


KIMS  USA  DRUNK,  AND  KIMS  USA  SOBER. 


105 


dition  that  the  Manganja  came  from  the  west  or  west-north-west. 
He  speaks  more  rationally  about  the  Deity  than  some  have  done, 
and  adds,  that  it  was  by  following  the  advice  which  I  gave  him 
the  last  time  I  saw  him,  and  not  selling  his  people,  that  his  vil- 
lage is  now  three  times  its  former  size.  He  has  another  village 
besides,  and  he  was  desirous  that  I  should  see  that  too ;  that  was 
the  reason  he  invited  me  to  come,  but  the  people  would  come 
and  visit  me, 

October  2d. — Kimsusa  made  his  appearance  early  with  a  huge 
basket  of  beer,  eighteen  inches  high  and  fifteen  inches  in  diam- 
eter. He  served  it  out  for  a  time,  taking  deep  draughts  himself, 
becoming  extremely  loquacious  in  consequence.  He  took  us  to 
a  dense  thicket  behind  his  town,  among  numbers  of  lofty  trees, 
many  of  which  I  have  seen  nowhere  else;  that  under  which  we 
sat  bears  a  fruit  in  clusters,  which  is  eatable,  and  called  "Mbedwa." 
A  space  had  been  cleared,  and  we  were  taken  to  this  shady  spot 
as  the  one  in  which  business  of  importance  and  secrecy  is  trans- 
acted. Another  enormous  basket  of  beer  was  brought  here  by 
his  wives,  but  there  was  little  need  for  it,  for  Kimsusa  talked  in- 
cessantly, and  no  business  was  done. 

October  Bd. — The  chief  came  early,  and  sober.  I  rallied  him 
on  his  previous  loquacity,  and  said  one  ought  to  find  time  in  the 
morning  if  business  was  to  be  done:  he  took  it  in  good  part,  and 
one  of  his  wives  joined  in  bantering  him.  She  is  the  wife,  and 
the  mother  of  the  sons  in  whom  he  delights,  and  who  will  suc- 
ceed him.  I  proposed  to  him  to  send  men  with  me  to  the  Babisa 
country,  and  I  would  pay  them  there,  where  they  could  buy  ivory 
for  him  with  the  pay,  and,  bringing  it  back,  he  would  be  able  to 
purchase  clothing  without  selling  his  people.  He  says  that  his 
people  would  not  bring  the  pay  or  any  thing  else  back.  When  he 
sends  to  purchase  ivory  he  gives  the  price  to  Arabs  or  Babisa,  and 
they  buy  for  him  and  conduct  his  business  honestly;  but  his  people, 
the  Manganja,  can  not  be  trusted :  this  shows  a  remarkable  state 
of  distrust,  and,  from  previous  information,  it  is  probably  true. 

A  party  of  the  Arab  Khambuiri's  people  went  up  lately  to  the 
Maravi  country  above  this,  and  immediately  west  of  Kirk's  range, 
to  purchase  slaves;  but  they  were  attacked  by  the  Maravi,  and 
dispersed  with  slaughter:  this  makes  Kimsusa's  people  afraid  to 
venture  there.  They  had  some  quarrel  with  the  Maravi  also  of 
their  own,  and  no  intercourse  now  took  place.  A  ]>atli  farther 
south  was  followed  by  Mponda  lately,  and  great  damage  done, 
so  it  would  not  be  wise  to  go  on  his  footsteps.  Kimsusa  said  he 
would  give  me  carriers  to  go  up  to  the  Maravi,  but  he  wished  to 


106 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


be  prepaid :  to  this  I  agreed,  "but  even  then  he  could  not  prevail 
on  any  one  to  go.  He  then  sent  for  an  old  Mobisa  man,  who  has 
a  village  under  him,  and  acknowledges  Kirasusa's  power.  He 
says  that  he  fears  that,  should  he  force  his  Manganja  to  go,  they 
would  leave  us  on  the  road,  or  run  away  on  the  first  appearance 
of  danger;  but  this  Mobisa  man  would  be  going  to  his  own  coun- 
try, and  would  stick  by  us.  Meanwhile  the  chief  overstocks  us 
with  beer  and  other  food. 

October  iih. — The  Mobisa  man  sent  for  came,  but  was  so  igno- 
rant of  his  own  country,  not  knowing  the  names  of  the  chief 
Babisa  town  or  any  of  the  rivers,  that  I  declined  his  guidance. 
He  would  only  have  been  a  clog  on  us;  and  any  thing  about 
the  places  in  front  of  us  we  could  ascertain-at  the  villages  where 
we  touch  by  inquiry  as  well  as  he  could. 

A  woman  turned  up  here,  and  persuaded  Chuma  that  she  was 
his  aunt.  He  wanted  to  give  her  at  once  a  fathom  of  calico  and 
beads,  and  wished  me  to  cut  his  pay  down  for  the  purpose.  I 
pursuaded  him  to  be  content  with  a  few  beads  for  her.  He  gave 
her  his  spoon  and  some  other  valuables,  fullj-  persuaded  that  she 
was  a  relative,  though  he  was  interrogated  first  as  to  his  father's 
name,  and  tribe,  etc.,  before  she  declared  herself 

It  shows  a  most  forgiving  disposition  on  the  part  of  these  boys 
to  make  presents  to  those  who,  if  genuine  relations,  actually  sold 
them.  But  those  who  have  been  caught  young  know  nothing 
of  the  evils  of  slavery,  and  do  not  believe  in  its  ills.  Chuma,  for 
instance,  believes  now  that  he  was  caught  and  sold  by  the  Man- 
ganja, and  not  by  his  own  Waiyau,  though  it  was  just  in  the  op- 
posite way  that  he  became  a  slave,  and  he  asserted  and  believes 
that  no  Waiyau  ever  sold  his  own  child.  When  reminded  that 
Wikatani  was  sold  by  his  own  father,  he  denied  it;  then  that 
the  father  of  Chimwala,  another  boy,  sold  him,  his  mother,  and 
sister,  he  replied,  "These  are  Machinga."  This  is  another  tribe 
of  Waiyau ;  but  this  showed  that  he  was  determined  to  justify 
his  countrymen  at  any  rate.  I  mention  this  matter,  because 
though  the  Oxford  and  Cambridge  Mission  have  an  advantage  in 
the  instruction  of  boys  taken  quite  young  from  slavers,  yet  those 
same  boys  forget  the  evils  to  which  they  were  exposed  and  from 
which  they  were  rescued,  and  it  is  even  likely  that  they  will, 
like  Chuma,  deny  that  any  benefit  was  conferred  upon  them  by 
their  deliverance.  This  was  not  stated  broadly  by  Chuma,  but 
his  tone  led  one  to  believe  that  he  was  quite  ready  to  return  to 
the  former  state. 

Ocloter  blh. — The  chief  came  early  with  an  immense  basket  of 


KIMS  USA  SOLVES  A  DIFFICULTY. 


107 


beer,  as  usual.  "We  were  ready  to  start :  be  did  not  relisb  tbis ; 
but  I  told  bim  it  was  clear  tbat  bis  people  set  very  ligbt  by  bis 
autbority.  He  declared  tbat  be  would  force  tbem  or  go  bimself, 
witb  his  wives  as  carriers.  Tbis  dawdling  and  guzzling  bad  a 
bad  effect  on  my  remaining  people.  Simon,  a  Nassick  lad,  for 
instance,  overbeard  two  words  wbich  be  understood;  tbese  were 
"Mazitu"  and  "lipululu,"  or  desert;  and  from  tbese  be  conjured 
up  a  picture  of  Mazitu  rusbing  out  upon  us  from  tbe  jungle,  and 
killing  all  witbout  giving  us  time  to  say  a  word !  To  tbis  he 
added  scraps  of  distorted  information:  Kbambuiri  was  a  very 
bad  chief  in  front,  etc.,  all  showing  egregious  cowardice ;  yet  be 
came  to  give  me  advice.  On  asking  what  he  knew  (as  he  could 
not  speak  the  language),  be  replied  tbat  be  beard  the  above  two 
words,  and  tbat  Chuma  could  not  translate  tbem,  but  he  bad 
caught  tbem,  and  came  to  warn  me. 

The  chief  asked  me  to  stay  over  to-day,  and  he  would  go  witb 
his  wives  to-morrow ;  I  was  his  friend,  and  be  would  not  see  me 
in  difficulties  without  doing  his  utmost.  He  says  that  there  is 
no  danger  of  our  not  finding  people  for  carrying  loads.  It  is 
probable  that  Kbambuiri's  people  went  as  marauders,  and  were 
beaten  off  in  consequence. 

October  6ih. — We  marched  about  seven  miles  to  the  north  to  a 
village  opposite  the  pass  Tapiri,  and  on  a  rivulet,  Godedza.  It 
was  very  hot.  Kimsusa  behaves  like  a  king:  liis  strapping 
wives  came  to  carry  loads,  and  shame  bis  people.  Many  of  tbe 
young  men  turned  out  and  took  tbe  loads,  but  it  was  evident 
tbat  they  feared  retaliation  if  they  ventured  up  the  pass.  One 
wife  carried  beer,  another  meal ;  and  as  soon  as  wc  arrived, 
cooking  commenced:  porridge  and  roasted  goat's  flesh  made  a 
decent  meal.  A  preparation  of  meal  called  "toku"  is  very  re- 
freshing, and  brings  out  all  the  sugary  matter  in  tbe  grain:  he 
gave  me  some  in  the  way,  and,  seeing  I  liked  it,  a  calabashful 
was  prepared  for  me  in  the  evening.  Kimsusa  delights  in  show- 
ing me  to  his  people  as  his  friend.  If  I  could  have  used  bis 
pombe,  or  beer,  it  would  have  put  some  fat  on  my  bones,  but  it 
requires  a  strong  digestion ;  many  of  the  chiefs  and  their  wives 
live  on  it  almost  entirely.  A  little  flesh  is  necessary  to  relieve 
the  acidity  it  causes;  and  they  keep  all  flesh  very  carefully,  no 
matter  how  high  it  may  become:  drying  it  on  a  stage  over  a  fire 
prevents  entire  putridity. 

October  7lh.  —  I  beard  hooping-cough*  in  the  village.  We 

•  This  <-()tn)ilaint  hus  not  been  reported  us  nn  Africiiii  disensc  before;  it  iirobaliiy 
clings  to  the  liigher  levels. — Ed. 


108 


LIVJNGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUBXALS. 


found  our  visitors  so  disagreeable  that  I  was  glad  to  marcli; 
they  were  Waiyau,  and  very  impudent,  demanding  gun  or  game 
medicine  to  enable  them  to  shoot  well:  they  came  into  the  hut 
uninvited,  and  would  take  no  denial.  It  is  probable  that  the 
Arabs  drive  a  trade  in  gun  medicine:  it  is  inserted  in  cuts  made 
above  the  thumb,  and  on  the  fore-arm.  Their  superciliousness 
shows  that  they  feel  themselves  to  be  the  dominant  race.  The 
Manganja  trust  to  their  old  bows  and  arrows;  they  are  much 
more  civil  than  Ajawa  or  Waiyau. 

[The  difference  between  these  two  great  races  is  here  well 
worthy  of  the  further  notice  which  Livingstone  no  doubt  would 
have  given  it.  As  a  rule,  the  Mjanganja  are  extremely  clever  in 
all  the  savage  arts  and  manufactures.  Their  looms  turn  out  a 
strong  serviceable  cotton  cloth ;  their  iron  weapons  and  imple- 
ments show  a  taste  for  design  which  is  not  reached  by  the  neigh- 
boring tribes,  and  in  all  matters  that  relate  to  husbandry  they 
excel ;  but  in  dash  and  courage  they  are  deficient.  The  Waiyau, 
on  the  contrary,  have  round  apple-shaped  heads,  as  distinguished 
from  the  long  well-shaped  heads  of  the  poor  Manganja;  they  are 
jocular  and  merry,  given  to  traveling,  and  bold  in  war.  These 
are  qualities  which  serve  them  well,  as  they  are  driven  from  pil- 
hir  to  post  through  slave  wars  and  internal  dissension,  but  they 
have  not  the  brains  of  the  Manganja,  nor  the  talent  to  make  their 
mark  in  any  direction  where  brains  are  wanted.] 

A  Manganja  man,  who  formerly  presented  us  with  the  whole 
haul  of  his  net,  came  and  gave  me  four  fowls:  some  really  de- 
light in  showing  kindness.  When  we  came  near  the  bottom  of 
the  pass  Tapiri,  Kimsusa's  men  became  loud  against  his  ventur- 
ing farther;  he  listened,  then  burst  away  from  them ;  he  listened 
again,  then  did  the  same;  and  as  he  had  now  got  men  for  us,  I 
thought  it  better  to  let  him  go. 

In  three  hours  and  a  quarter  we  had  made  a  clear  ascent  of 
twenty-two  hundred  feet  above  the  Lake.  The  first  persons  we 
met  were  two  men  and  a  boy,  who  were  out  hunting  with  a  dog 
and  basket-trap.  This  is  laid  down  in  the  run  of  some  small 
animal ;  the  dog  chases  it,  and  it  goes  into  the  basket,  which  is 
made  of  split  bamboo,  and  has  prongs  looking  inward,  which  pre- 
vent its  egress:  mousc-trajis  are  made  in  the  same  fashion.  I  sus- 
pected that  the  younger  of  the  men  had  other  game  in  view,  and 
meant,  if  fit  opportunity  olTered,  to  insert  an  arrow  in  a  Waiyau, 
who  was  taking  away  his  wife  as  a  slave.  He  told  me  before  we 
liad  gained  the  top  of  tlie  ascent  tliat  some  Waiyau  came  to  a  vil- 
lage, separated  from  his  by  a  small  valley,  picked  a  quarrel  with 


THE  REVENGEFUL  BAT-CATCHEE. 


109 


the  inhabitants,  and  then  went  and  took  the  wife  and  child  of  a 
poorer  countryman  to  pay  these  pretended  offenses. 

Odoher  8th. — At  the  first  village  we  found  that  the  people  up 
here  and  those  down  below  were  mutually  afraid  of  each  other. 
Kimsusa  came  to  the  bottom  of  the  range,  his  last  act  being  the 
offer  of  a  pot  of  beer,  and  a  calabash  of  toku,  which  latter  was 
accepted.  I  paid  his  wives  for  carrying  our  things:  they  had 
done  well,  and  after  we  gained  the  village  where  we  slept,  sang 
and  clapped  their  hands  vigorously  till  one  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, when  I  advised  them  to  go  to  sleep.  The  men  he  at  last 
provided  were  very  faithful  and  easily  satisfied.  Here  we  found 
the  head  man,  Kawa,  of  Mpalapala,  quite  as  hospitable.  In  addi- 
tion to  providing  a  supper,  it  is  the  custom  to  give  breakfast  be- 
fore starting.  Resting  on  the  8th  to  riiake  up  for  the  loss  of  rest 
on  Sunday,  we  marched  on  Tuesday  (the  9th),  but  were  soon 
brought  to  a  stand  by  Gombwa,  whose  village,  Tamiala,  stands 
on  another  ridge. 

Gombwa,  a  laughing,  good-natured  man,  said  that  he  had  sent 
for  all  his  people  to  see  me;  and  I  ought  to  sleep,  to  enable  them 
to  look  on  one  the  like  of  whom  had  never  come  their  way  be-  . 
fore.  Intending  to  go  on,  I  explained  some  of  my  objects  in  com- 
ing through  the  country,  advising  the  people  to  refrain  from  sell- 
ing each  other,  as  it  ends  in  war  and  depopulation.  He  was  cun- 
ning, and  said,  "  Well,  you  must  sleep  here,  and  all  my  people 
will  come  and  hear  those  words  of  peace."  I  explained  that  I 
had  employed  carriers,  who  expected  to  be  paid  though  I  had 
gone  but  a  small  part  of  a  day ;  he  replied,  "  But  they  will  go 
home  and  come  again  to-morrow,  and  it  will  count  but  one  day." 
I  was  thus  constrained  to  remain. 

October  9lh. — Both  barometer  and  boiling-point  showed  an  alti- 
tude of  upward  of  four  thousand  feet  above  tlie  sea.  Tliis  is  the 
hottest  month,  but  the  air  is  delightfully  clear  and  delicious.  The 
country  is  very  fine,  lying  in  long  slopes,  with  mountains  rising 
all  around,  from  two  thousand  to  three  thousand  feet  above  this 
upland.  They  are  mostly  jagged  and  rough  (not  rounded  like 
those  near  to  Matnka'.s):  the  long  slopes  are  nearly  denuded  of 
trees,  and  the  patches  of  cultivation  are  so  large  and  often  squar- 
ish in  form,  that  but  little  imagination  is  requisite  to  transform 
the  whole  into  the  cultivated  fields  of  England ;  but  no  hedge- 
rows exist.  Tlie  trees  arc  in  clumps  on  the  tops  of  the  ridges,  or 
at  the  villages,  or  at  the  places  of  sepulture.  Just  now  the  young 
leaves  are  out,  but  are  not  yet  green.  In  some  lights  they  look 
brown,  but  with  transmitted  light,  or,  when  one  is  near  them, 

8 


110 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


crimson  prevails.  A  j^ellowish-green  is  met  sometimes  in  the 
young  leaves,  and  brown,  pink,  and  orange-red.  Tlie  soil  is  rich, 
but  the  grass  is  only  excessively  rank  in  spots ;  in  general  it  is 
short.  A  kind  of  trenching  of  the  ground  is  resorted  to ;  they 
hoe  deep,  and  draw  it  well  to  themselves :  this  exposes  the  other 
earth  to  the  hoe.  The  soil  is  burned  too :  the  grass  and  weeds 
are  placed  in  flat  heaps,  and  soil  placed  over  them :  the  burning 
is  slow,  and  most  of  the  products  of  combustion  aie  retained  to 
fatten  the  field ;  in  this  way  the  people  raise  large  crops.  Men 
and  women  and  children  engage  in  field-labor,  but  at  present 
many  of  the  men  are  engaged  in  spinning  buaze'*  and  cotton. 
The  former  is  made  into  a  coarse  sacking-looking  stuff,  immense- 
ly strong,  which  seems  to  be  worn  by  the  women  alone ;  the  men 
are  clad  in  uncomfortable  goat-skins.  No  wild  animals  seem  to 
be  in  the  country,  and  indeed  the  population  is  so  large  they 
would  have  very  unsettled  times  of  it.  At  every  turning  we 
meet  people,  or  see  their  villages;  all  armed  with  bows  and  ar- 
rows. The  bows  are  unusually  long:  I  measured  one  made  of 
bamboo,  and  found  that  along  the  bowstring  it  measured  six  feet 
four  inches.  Many  carry  large  knives  of  fine  iron;  and  indeed 
the  metal  is  abundant.  Young  men  and  women  wear  the  hair 
long,  a  mass  of  small  ringlets  comes  down  and  rests  on  the  shoul- 
ders, giving  them  the  appearance  of  the  ancient  Eg3'ptians.  One 
side  is  often  cultivated,  and  the  mass  hangs  jauntily  on  that  side ; 
some  few  have  a  solid  cap  of  it.  Not  many  women  wear  the 
lip-ring:  the  example  of  the  Waiyau  has  prevailed  so  far;  but 


Tattoo  on  Women. 


some  of  the  young  women  have  raised  lines  crossing  each  other 
on  the  arms,  wliich  must  have  cost  great  pain:  they  liavo  Jilso 
small  cuts,  covering  in  some  cases  the  wlioU^  body.    The  Maravi 


*  A  fine  fibre  dei  ivod  from  the  shoots  of  a  shrub  {Securidaca  longipedunculatd). 


THE  DOCTOR  SPEAKS  TO  GOMBWA'S  PEOPLE. 


Ill 


or  Manganja  here  may  be  said  to  be  in  their  primitive  state.  We 
find  them  very  liberal  with  their  food :  we  give  a  cloth  to  the 
head  man  of  the  village  where  we  pass  the  night,  and  he  gives 
a  goat,  or  at  least  cooked  fowls  and  porridge,  at  night  and  morn- 
ing. 

We  were  invited  by  Gombwa  in  the  afternoon  to  speak  the 
same  words  to  his  people  that  we  used  to  himself  in  the  morning. 
He  nudged  a  boy  to  respond,  which  is  considered  polite,  though 
he  did  it  only  with  a  rough  hem !  at  the  end  of  each  sentence. 
As  for  oar  general  discourse  we  mention  our  relationship  to  our 
Father:  his  love  to  all  his  children — the  guilt  of  selling  any  of 
his  children — the  consequence;  e.  g.,  it  begets  war,  for  they  do 
not  like  to  sell  their  own,  and  steal  from  other  villagers,  who  re- 
taliate. Arabs  and  Waiyau  invited  into  the  country  by  their 
selling,  foster  feuds,  and  war  and  depopulation  ensue.  We  men- 
tion the  Bible  —  future  state  —  prayer;  advise  union,  that  they 
should  unite  as  one  fomily  to  expel  enemies,  who  came  first  as 
slave-traders,  and  ended  by  leaving  the  country  a  wilderness.  In 
reference  to  union,  we  showed  that  they  ought  to  have  seen  jus- 
tice done  to  the  man  who  lost  his  wife  and  child  at  their  very 
doors ;  but  this  want  of  cohesion  is  the  bane  of  the  Manganja. 
If  the  evil  does  not  affect  themselves  they  do  not  care  whom  it 
injures;  and  Gombwa  confirmed  this,  by  saying  that  when  he 
routed  Khambuiri's  people,  the  villagers  west  of  him  fled  instead 
of  coming  to  his  aid. 

We  hear  that  many  of  the  Manganja  up  here  are  fugitives  from 
Nyassa. 

Ocfohcr  lOtJi. — Kawa  and  his  people  were  with  us  early  this 
morning,  and  we  started  from  Tamiala  with  them.  The  weather 
is  lovely,  and  the  scenery,  though  at  present  tinged  with  yellow 
from  the  grass,  might  be  called  glorious.  The  briglit  sun  and  de- 
licious air  are  quite  exhilarating.  We  passed  a  fine  flowing  riv- 
ulet, called  Levizd,  going  into  the  Lake,  and  many  smaller  runnels 
of  delicious  cold  water.  On  resting  by  a  dark  sepulcliral  grove, 
a  tree  attracted  the  attention,  as  nowhere  else  seen :  it  is  called 
l^okonto,  and  said  to  bear  eatable  fruit.  Many  fine  flowers  were 
just  bursting  into  full  blossom.  After  about  four  hours'  march, 
we  put  up  at  Cliitimba,  the  village  of  Kangomba,  and  were  intro- 
duced by  Kawa,  who  came  all  the  way  for  the  purpose. 

Odohcr  Wth. — A  very  cold  morning,  with  a  great  bank  of  black 
clouds  in  the  east,  whence  the  wind  came.  Tliermometer,  59° ; 
in  hut,  60°.  The  huts  arc  built  very  well.  The  roof,  with  the 
lower  part  plastered,  is  formed  so  as  not  to  admit  a  ray  of  light, 


112 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


and  the  only  visible  mode  of  ingress  for  it  is  by  the  door.  This 
case  shows  that  winter  is  cold.  On  proposing  to  start,  breakfast 
was  not  ready:  then  a  plan  was  formed  to  keep  me  another  day 
at  a  viUage  close  by,  belonging  to  one  Kulu,  a  man  of  Kauma,  to 


October  12th. — We  march  w^esterly,  with  a  good  deal  of  south- 
ing. Kulu  gave  us  a  goat,  and  cooked  liberally  for  us  all.  He 
set  off  with  us  as  if  to  go  to  Kauma's  in  our  company,  but  after 
w^e  had  gone  a  couple  of  miles  he  slipped  behind,  and  ran  away. 
Some  are  naturally  mean,  and  some  naturally  noble:  the  mean 
can  not  help  showing  their  nature,  nor  can  the  noble ;  but  the 
noble-hearted  must  enjoy  life  most.  Kulu  got  a  cloth,  and  he 
gave  us  at  least  its  value;  but  he  thought  he  had  got  more  than 
he  gave,  and  so  by  running  away  that  he  had  done  us  nicely, 
without  troubling  himself  to  go  and  introduce  us  to  Kauma.  I 
usually  request  a  head  man  of  a  village  to  go  with  us.  They 
give  a  good  report  of  us,  if  for  no  other  reason  than  for  their  own 
credit,  because  no  one  likes  to  be  thought  giving  his  countenance 
to  people  other  than  respectable,  and  it  costs  little. 

We  came  close  to  the  foot  of  several  squarish  mountains,  hav- 
ing perpendicular  sides.  One,  called  "  Ulazo  pa  Malungo,"  is 
used  by  the  people,  whose  villages  cluster  round  its  base  as  a 
store-house  for  grain.  Large  granaries  stand  on  its  top,  contain- 
ing food  to  be  used  in  case  of  war.  A  large  cow  is  kept  up  there, 
which  is  supposed  capable  of  knowing  and  letting  the  owners  know 
when  war  is  coming.*  There  is  a  path  up,  but  it  was  not  visible 
to  us.  The  people  are  all  Kanthunda,  or  climbers,  not  ]\[aravi. 
Kimsusa  said  that  he  was  the  only  Maravi  chief,  but  this  I  took  to 
be  an  ebullition  of  beer  bragging:  the  natives  up  here,  however, 
confirm  this,  and  assert  that  they  are  not  Maravi,  who  are  known 
by  having  markings  down  the  side  of  the  face. 


*  Several  superstitions  of  tliis  iiiitiirc  seciii  to  jioiiit  to  n  renuiaiit  of  the  old  lieatlien 
ritual,  uiid  tlic  worship  of  gods  in  luountuiii  groves. 


Curiously  cut-out  Stool,  niixile  of  cue  Block 
of  Wood  hollowed  out. 


whom  we  go  next.  It  was  effect- 
ual, and  here  we  are  detained  an- 
other day.  A  curiously  cut-out 
stool  is  in  my  hut,  made  by  the 
Mkwisa,  who  are  south-west  of 
this:  it  is  of  one  block,  but  hollow- 
ed out,  and  all  the  spaces  indicated 
are  hollow  too :  about  two  and  a 
half  feet  long  by  one  and  a  half 
feet  high. 


HUMID  CLIMATE. 


113 


We  spent  the  night  at  a  Kanthunda  village,  on  the  western 
side  of  a  mountain  called  Phunze  (the  h  being  an  aspirate  only). 
Many  villages  are  planted  round  its  base,  but  in  front,  that  is, 
westward,  we  have  plains,  and  there  the  villages  are  as  numerous : 
mostly  they  are  within  half  a  mile  of  each  other,  and  few  are  a 
mile  from  other  hamlets.  Each  village  has  a  clump  of  trees 
around  it :  this  is  partly  for  shade  and  j^artly  for  privacy  from 
motives  of  decency.  The  heat  of  the  sun  causes  the  effluvia  to 
exhale  quickly,  so  they  are  seldom  offensive.  The  rest  of  the 
country,  where  not  cultivated,  is  covered  with  grass,  the  seed- 
stalks  about  knee -deep.  It  is  gently  undulating,  lying  in  low 
waves,  stretching  north-east  and  south-west.  The  space  between 
each  wave  is  usually  occupied  by  a  boggy  spot  or  water-course, 
which  in  some  cases  is  filled  with  pools  with  trickling  rills  be- 
tween. All  the  people  are  engaged  at  present  in  making  mounds 
six  or  eight  feet  square,  and  from  two  to  three  feet  high.  The 
sods  in  places  not  before  hoed  are  separated  from  the  soil  beneath 
and  collected  into  flattened  heaps,  the  grass  undermost;  when 
dried,  fire  is  applied  and  slow  combustion  goes  on ;  most  of  the 
products  of  the  burning  being  retained  in  the  ground,  much  of 
the  .soil  is  incinerated.  The  final  preparation  is  effected  by  the 
men  digging  up  the  subsoil  round  the  mound,  passing  each  hoeful 
into  the  left  hand,  where  it  pulverizes,  and  is  then  thrown  on  to 
the  heap.  It  is  thus  virgin  soil  on  the  top  of  the  ashes  and  burn- 
ed ground  of  the  original  heap,  very  clear  of  weeds.  At  present 
many  mounds  have  beans  and  maize  about  four  inches  high. 
Uolcs,  a  foot  in  diameter  and  a  few  inches  deep,  are  made  irregu- 
larly over  the  surface  of  the  mound,  and  about  eight  or  ten  grains 
put  into  each :  these  are  watered  by  hand  and  calabash,  and  kept 
growing  till  the  rains  set  in,  when  a  very  early  crop  is  secured. 

Ociohf'r  13///. — After  leaving  Phunze,  we  crossed  the  Levingc, 
a  rivulet  which  flows  northward,  and  then  into  Lake  Nyassa; 
the  lines  of  gentle  undulation  tend  in  that  direction.  Some  hills 
appear  on  the  plains,  but  after  the  mountains  which  we  have  left 
behind  they  are  mere  mounds.  We  are  over  three  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea,  and  the  air  is  delicious;  but  we  often  pa.ss  spots 
covered  with  a  plant  which  grows  in  marshy  places,  and  its  heavy 
smell  always  puts  mo  in  mind  that  at  other  seasons  this  may  not 
be  so  pleasant  a  residence.  The  fact  of  even  maize  being  plant- 
ed on  mounds  wlicrc  the  ground  is  naturally  quite  dry,  tells  a 
tale  of  abundant  humidity  of  climate. 

Kauma,  a  fine,  tall  man,  with  a  bald  head  and  pleasant  man- 
ner.s,  told  us  that  some  of  liis  people  had  lately  returned  from  the 


114 


LiriNGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Chibisa  or  Babisa  country,  whither  they  had  gone  to  buy  ivory, 
and  they  would  give  me  information  about  the  path.  He  took 
a  fancy  to  one  of  the  hoys'  blankets;  offering  a  native  cloth, 
much  larger,  in  exchange,  and  even  a  sheep  to  boot;  but  the 
owner  being  unwilling  to  part  with  his  covehng,  Kauma  told  me 
that  he  had  not  sent  for  his  Babisa  travelers  on  account  of  my 
boy  refusing  to  deal  with  him.  A  little  childish  this,  but  other- 
wise he  was  very  hospitable;  he  gave  me  a  fine  goat,  which,  un- 
fortunately, my  people  left  behind. 

The  chief  said  that  no  Arabs  ever  came  his  way,  nor  Portu- 
guese native  traders.  When  advising  them  to  avoid  the  first  at- 
tempts to  begin  the  slave-trade,  as  it  would  inevitably  lead  to  war 
and  depopulation,  Kauma  replied  that  the  chiefs  had  resolved 
to  unite  against  the  Waiyau  of  Mponde,  should  he  come  again  on 
a  foray  up  to  the  highlands;  but  they  are  like  a  rope  of  sand — 
there  is  no  cohesion  among  them,  and  each  village  is  nearly  inde- 
pendent of  every  other:  they  mutually  distrust  each  other. 

October  l^ih. — Spent  Sunday  here.  Kauma  says  that  his  peo- 
ple are  partly  Kanthunda  and  partly  Chipeta.  The  first  are  the 
mountaineers,  the  second  dwellers  on  the  plains.  The  Chipeta 
have  many  lines  of  marking :  they  are  all  only  divisions  of  the 
great  Manganja  tribe,  and  their  dialects  differ  very  slightly  from 
that  spoken  by  the  same  people  on  the  Shird  The  population 
is  very  great  and  very  ceremonious.  When  we  meet  any  one  he 
turns  aside  and  sits  down :  we  clap  the  hand  on  the  chest  and 
say,  "Re  peta — re  peta,"  that  is,  "we  pass,"  or  "let  us  pass:" 
this  is  responded  to  at  once  by  a  clapping  of  the  hands  together. 
When  a  person  is  called  at  a  distance  he  gives  two  loud  claps  of 
assent ;  or  if  he  rises  from  near  a  superior  he  does  the  same  thing, 
which  is  a  sort  of  leave-taking. 

We  have  to  ask  who  are  the  principal  chiefs  in  the  direction 
which  we  wish  to  take,  and  decide  accordingly.  Zomba  was 
pointed  out  as  a  chief  on  a  range  of  hills  on  our  west:  beyond 
him  lies  Undi  m  Senga.  I  bad  to  take  this  route,  as  my  people 
have  a  very  vivid  idea  of  the  danger  of  going  northward  toward 
the  Mazitu.  We  made  more  southing  than  we  wished.  One 
day  beyond  Zomba  and  west-south-west  is  the  part  called  Chin- 
dando,  where  the  Portuguese  formerly  went  for  gold.  They 
do  not  seem  to  have  felt  it  worth  while  to  come  here,  as  neither 
ivory  nor  gold  could  be  obtained  if  they  did.  The  country  is 
too  full  of  people  to  allow  any  wild  animals  elbow-room :  even 
the  smaller  animals  are  hunted  down  by  means  of  nets  and  dogs. 

AVe  rested  at  Pachoma;  the  head  man  oflering  a  goat  and 


A2fOTHEli  SHUPANGA. 


115 


beer,  but  I  declined,  and  went  on  to  Molomba.  Here  Kaunia's 
carriers  turned,  because  a  woman  bad  died  tbat  morning  as  we 
left  the  village.  They  asserted  that  had  she  died  before  we 
started  not  a  man  would  have  left:  this  shows  a  reverence  for 
death,  for  the  woman  was  no  relative  of  any  of  them.  The  head 
man  of  Molomba  was  very  poor  but  very  liberal,  cooking  for  us 
and  presenting  a  goat:  another  head  man  from  a  neighboring 
village,  a  laughing,  good-natured  old  man,  named  Chikala,  brought 
beer  and  a  fowl  in  the  morning.  I  asked  him  to  go  on  with  us 
to  Mironga,  it  being  important,  as  above-mentioned,  to  have  the 
like  of  his  kind  in  our  company,  and  he  consented.  "We  saw 
Mount  Ngala  in  the  distance,  like  a  large  sugar-loaf  shot  up  in 
the  air:  in  our  former  route  to  Kasungu  we  passed  north  of  it. 

October  16th. — Crossed  the  rivulet  Chikuyo  going  north  for  the 
Lake,  and  Mironga  being  but  one  and  a  half  hours  off,  we  went 
on  to  Chipanga:  this  is  the  proper  name  of  what  on  the  Zambesi 
is  corrupted  into  Sliupanga.  The  head  man,  a  miserable  hemp- 
consuming-'  leper,  fled  from  us.  We  were  offered  a  miserable  hut, 
which  we  refused.  Chikala  meanwhile  went  through  the  whole 
village  seeking  a  better,  which  we  ultimately  found:  it  was' not 
in  this  chief  to  be  generous,  though  Chikala  did  what  he  could  in 
trying  to  indoctrinate  him:  when  I  gave  him  a  present  he  imme- 
diately proposed  to  sell  a  goat  I    We  get  on  pretty  well,  however. 

Zomba  is  in  a  range  of  hills  to  our  west,  called  Dzala  Nyama. 
The  Portuguese,  in  going  to  Casembe,  went  still  farther  west  than 
this. 

Passing  on,  we  came  to  a  smithy,  and  watched  the  founder  at 
work  drawing  off  slag  from  the  bottom  of  his  furnace  He  broke 
through  the  hardened  slag  by  striking  it  with  an  iron  instrument 
inserted  in  the  (mkI  of  a  pole,  when  the  material  flowed  out  of 
the  small  hole  left  for  the  purpose  in  the  bottom  of  the  furnace. 
The  ore  (probably  the  black  oxide)  was  like  sand,  and  was  put  in 
at  the  top  of  the  furnace,  mixed  with  charcoal.  Only  one  bellows 
was  at  work,  formed  out  of  a  goat-skin,  and  the  blast  was  very 
poor.  Many  of  these  furnaces,  or  tlieir  remains,  are  met  with  on 
knolls;  those  at  work  have  a  peculiarly  tall  hut  built  over  them. 

On  the  eastern  edge  of  a  valley  lying  north  and  south,  with 
the  Diampw(j  stream  flowing  along  it,  and  the  Dzala  nyama  range 
on  the  western  side,  are  two  villages  screened  by  fine  specimens 
of  the  Ficus  Indica.    One  of  these  is  owned  by  the  head  man 


*  1 1  cm])  (hnll^:(•)  is  smoked  throughout  Central  Africa,  and  if  used  in  e.xcess  pro- 
duces piiriiul  tiiibceility. — Ed. 


116 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Theresa,  and  there  we  spent  the  night.  "We  made  very  short 
marches,  for  the  sun  is  very  powerful,  and  the  soil,  baked  hard, 
is  sore  on  the  feet :  no  want  of  water,  however,  is  felt,  for  we  come 
to  supplies  every  mile  or  two. 

The  people  look  very  poor,  having  few  or  no  beads;  the  orna- 
ments being  lines  and  cuttings  on  the  skin.  They  trust  more 
to  buaze  than  cotton.  I  noticed  but  two  cotton  patches.  The 
women  are  decidedly  plain,  but  monopolize  all  the  buazc  cloth. 
Theresa  was  excessively  liberal,  and  having  informed  us  that 
Zomba  lived  some  distance  up  the  range  and  was  not  the  princi- 
pal man  in  these  parts,  we,  to  avoid  climbing  the  hills,  turned 
away  to  the  north,  in  the  direction  of  the  paramount  chief,  Chi- 
sumpi,  whom  we  found  to  be  only  traditionally  great. 

October  20th,  1866. — In  passing  along  we  came  to  a  village  em- 
bowered in  fine  trees;  the  head  man  is  Kaveta,  a  really  fine  spec- 
imen of  the  Kanthunda,  tall,  well-made,  with  a  fine  forehead  and 
Assyrian  nose.  He  proposed  to  us  to  remain  overnight  with 
him,  and  I  unluckily  declined. 

Convoying  us  out  a  mile,  we  parted  with  this  gentleman,  and 
then  came  to  a  smith's  village,  where  the  same  invitation  was 
given  and  refused.  A  sort  of  infatuation  drove  us  on,  and  after 
a  long  hot  march  we  found  the  great  Chisumpi,  the  fixc-simile  in 
black  of  Sir  Colin  Campbell;  his  nose,  mouth,  and  the  numerous 
wrinkles  on  his  face  were  identical  with  those  of  the  great  gen- 
eral, but  here  all  resemblance  ceased.  Two  men  had  preceded 
us  to  give  information,  and  when  I  followed  I  saw  that  his  vil- 
lage was  one  of  squalid  misery,  the  only  fine  things  about  being 
the  lofty  trees  in  which  it  lay.  Chisumpi  begged  me  to  sleep  at 
a  village  about  half  a  mile  behind:  his  son  was  browbeating  him 
on  some  domestic  affair,  and  the  older  man  implored  me  to  go. 
Next  morning  he  came  early  to  that  village,  and  arranged  for 
our  departure,  offering  nothing,  and  apparently  not  wishing  to 
see  us  at  all.  I  suspect  that  though  paramount  chief,  he  is  weak- 
minded,  and  has  lost  thereby  all  his  influence,  but  in  the  people's 
eyes  he  is  still  a  great  one. 

Several  of  my  men  exhibiting  symptoms  of  distress,  I  inquired 
for  a  village  in  which  we  could  rest  Saturday  and  Sunday,  and 
at  a  distance  from  Chisumpi.  A  head  man  volunteered  to  lead 
us  to  one  west  of  this.  In  passing  the  sepulchral  grove  of  Chi- 
sumpi our  guide  remarked,  "Chisum|)i\s  forefathers  sleep  there." 
This  was  the  first  lime  I  have  heard  the  word  "sleep"  applied 
to  death  in  these  parts.  The  trees  in  these  groves,  and  arountl 
many  of  the  villages,  are  very  large,  and  show  what  the  country 
would  become  if  depopulated. 


CHITIKOLA  EETUEXS  FROM  MILAXDO. 


117 


"We  crossed  the  Diampwe  or  Adiampwe,  from  five  to  fifteen 
yards  wide,  and  well  supplied  with  water  even  now.  It  rises 
near  the  Ndomo  mountains,  and  flows  northward  into  the  Linti- 
pe  and  Lake.  We  found  Chitokola's  village,  called  Paritala,  a 
pleasant  one,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Adiampwe  Valley.  Many 
elephants  and  other  animals  feed  in  the  valley,  and  we  saw  the 
Bechuana  hopo*  again  after  many  years. 

Note.  —  The  Ambarre,  otherwise  Nyumbo  plant,  has  a  pea- 
shaped,  or  rather  papilionaceous  flower,  with  a  fine  scent.  It 
seems  to  grow  quite  wild ;  its  flowers  are  yellow. 

Chaola  is  the  poison  used  by  the  Maravi  for  their  arrows  ;  it  is 
said  to  cause  mortification. 

One  of  the  wonders  usually  told  of  us  in  this  upland  region  is 
that  we  sleep  without  fire.  The  boys'  blankets  suffice  for  warmth 
during  the  night,  when  the  thermometer  sinks  to  6-±°-60°,  but 
no  one  else  has  covering  sufficient ;  some  huts  in  process  of  build- 
ing here  show  that  a  thick  coating  of  plaster  is  put  on  outside  the 
roof  before  the  grass  thatch  is  applied  ;  not  a  chink  is  left  for  the 
admission  of  air. 

Chi ti kola  was  absent  from  Paritala  when  we  arrived  on  some 
milundo  or  other.  These  milandos  are  the  business  of  their  lives. 
They  are  like  petty  lawsuits  :  if  one  trespasses  on  his  neighbor's 
rights  in  any  way,  it  is  a  milando,  and  the  head  men  of  all  the 
villages  about  are  called  on  to  settle  it.  Women  are  a  fruitful 
source  of  milando.  A  few  ears  of  Indian  corn  had  been  taken 
by  a  person,  and  Chitikola  had  been  called  a  full  day's  journey 
off  to  .settle  this  mdando.  He  administered  muave,t  and  the  per- 
son vomited ;  therefore  innocence  was  clearly  established  !  He 
came  in  the  evening  of  the  21st,  foot-sore  and  tired,  and  at  once 
gave  us  some  beer.  This  perpetual  reference  to  food  and  drink 
is  natural,  inasmuch  as  it  is  the  most  important  point  in  our  in- 
tercourse. While  the  chief  was  absent  we  got  nothing;  the 
queen  even  begged  a  little  meat  for  her  child,  who  was  recover- 
ing from  an  attack  of  small-pox.  There  being  no  shops,  we  had 
to  sit  still  without  food.  I  took  observations  for  longitude,  and 
whiled  away  the  time  by  calculating  the  lunars.  Next  day  the 
chief  gave  us  a  goat  cooked  whole,  and  plenty  of  porridge :  I 
noticed  that  he  too  had  the  Assyrian  type  of  face. 


•  The  hopo  is  a  fiinnel-slinped  fenre  wliich  incloses  n  consiilernhle  trnct  of  coniitrv  : 
a  "drive"  is  orgiiiiizod,  niul  niiiiiials  of  nil  <U!S('ripti()ns  are  iirj^cil  on  till  they  boconio 
jammed  together  in  the  neck  of  the  hopo,  where  thcv  are  speared  to  death,  or  else  de- 
stroyed in  a  nninher  of  jiitfalls  placed  there  for  tlf;  purpose. 

t  The  ordeal  j)oison. 


118 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Progress  northward. — An  African  Forest. — Destruction  by  Mazitu. — Native  Saluta- 
tions.— A  disagreeable  Chief. — On  the  Water-shed  between  the  Lake  and  the 
Loangwa  River. — Extensive  Iron-workings. — An  old  Nimrod. — Tiie  Bua  Kiver. 
— Lovely  Scenery. — DiflRculties  of  Transport. — Ciiilobe. — An  African  Pythoness. 
— Enlists  two  Waiyau  Bearers. — 111. — The  Chitella  Bean. — liains  set  in. — Arrives 
at  the  Loangwa. 

We  started,  with  Chitikola  as  our  guide,  op  the  22d  of  October, 
and  he  led  us  away  westward  across  the  Lilongwe  River,  then 
turned  north  till  we  came  to  a  village  called  Mashumba,  the  head 
man  of  which  was  the  only  chief  who  begged  any  thing  except 
medicine,  and  he  got  less  than  we  were  in  the  habit  of  giving  in 
consequence :  we  give  a  cloth  usually,  and,  clothing  being  very 
scarce,  this  is  considered  munificent.* 

We  had  the  Zalanyama  range  on  our  left,  and  our  course  was 
generally  north,  but  we  had  to  go  in  the  direction  of  the  villages 
which  were  on  friendly  terms  with  our  guides,  and  sometimes  we 
went  but  a  little  way,  as  they  studied  to  make  the  days  as  short 
as  possible.  The  head  man  of  the  last  village,  Chitoku,  was  with 
us,  and  he  took  us  to  a  village  of  smiths,  four  furnaces  and  one 
smithy  being  at  work.  We  crossed  the  Chiniambo,  a  strong 
river  coming  from  Zalanyama,  and  flowing  into  the  Mirongwe, 
which  again  goes  into  Lintipd  The  country  near  the  hills  be- 
comes covered  with  forest,  the  trees  are  chiefly  Masuko  Mochcii- 
ga  (the  gum-copal-tree),  the  bark-cloth -tree,  and  rhododendrons. 
The  heath  known  at  the  Cape  as  Rlunoster  bosch  occurs  frequent- 
ly, and  occasionally  we  have  thorny  acacias.  The  grass  is  short, 
but  there  is  plenty  of  it. 

October  24ih. — Our  guide,  Mpanda,  led  us  through  the  forest 
by  what  he  meant  to  be  a  sliort  cut  to  Pachimuna's.  We  came 
on  a  herd  of  about  fifteen  elephants,  and  many  trees  laid  down 
by  these  animals :  they  seem  to  relish  the  roots  of  some  kinds, 
and  spend  a  good  deal  of  time  digging  them  up;  they  chew 
woody  roots  and  branches  as  thick  as  the  handle  of  a  spade. 
Many  buffaloes  feed  here,  and  we  viewed  a  herd  of  elands;  they 
kept  out  of  bow-shot  only.  A  herd  of  the  baama,  or  hartcboost, 
stood  at  two  hundred  paces,  and  one  was  shot. 


*  A  cloth  menus  two  yards  of  unbleached  calico. 


AX  ALARM  OF  MAZITU. 


119 


"While  all  were  rejoicing  over  the  meat  we  got  news,  from  the 
inhabitants  of  a  large  village  in  full  flight,  that  the  Mazitu  were 
out  on  a  foray.  While  roasting  and  eating  meat,  I  went  forward 
with  Afpanda  to  get  men  from  Pachimuna  to  carry  the  rest,  but 
was  soon  recalled.  Another  crowd  were  also  in  full  retreat ;  the 
people  were  running  straight  to  the  Zalanyama  range  regardless 
of  their  feet,  making  a  path  for  themselves  through  the  forest; 
they  had  escaped  from  the  Mazitu  that  morning:  "They  saw 
them!"  Mpanda's  people  wished  to  leave  and  go  to  look  after 
their  own  village,  but  we  persuaded  them,  on  pain  of  a  milando^ 
to  take  us  to  the  nearest  village,  that  was  at  the  bottom  of  Za- 
lanyama proper,  and  we  took  the  spoor  of  the  fugitives.  The 
hard  grass,  with  stalks  nearly  as  thick  as  quills,  must  have  hurt 
their  feet  sorely,  but  what  of  that  in  com])arison  with  dear  life! 
We  meant  to  take  our  stand  on  the  hill  and  defend  our  property 
in  case  of  the  Mazitu  coming  near;  and  we  should,  in  the  event 
of  being  successful,  be  a  defense  to  the  fugitives  who  crowded  up 
its  rocky  sides,  but  next  morning  we  heard  that  the  enemy  had 
gone  to  the  south.  Had  we  gone  forward,  as  we  intended,  to 
search  for  men  to  carry  the  meat,  we  should  have  met  the  ma- 
rauders, for  the  men  of  the  second  party  of  villages  had  remain- 
ed behind  guarding  their  village  till  the  Mazitu  arrived,  and  they 
told  us  what  a  near  escape  I  iiad  had  from  walking  into  their 
power. 

Ocloher  25///. — Came  along  northward  to  Pachimuna's  town,  a 
large  one  of  Chipcta,  with  many  villages  around.  Our  path  led 
through  the  forest,  and  as  we  emerged  into  the  open  strath  in 
which  the  villages  lie,  we  saw  the  large  ant-hills,  each  the  size 
of  the  end  of  a  one-storied  cottage,  covered  with  men  on  guard 
watching  for  the  Mazitu. 

A  long  line  of  villagers  were  just  arriving  from  the  south,  and 
we  C9uld  sec  at  some  low  hills  in  that  direction  the  smoke  aris- 
ing from  the  burning  settlements.  None  but  men  were  present; 
the  women  and  the  chief  were  at  the  mountain  called  Pambc;  all 
were  fully  armed  with  their  long  bows,  some  flat  in  the  bow,  oth- 
ers round,  and  it  was  common  to  have  the  quiver  on  the  back, 
and  a  bunch  of  feathers  stuck  in  the  hair  like  tho.se  in  our  Lan- 
cers' shakos.  But  they  remained  not  to  fight,  but  to  watch  their 
homes  and  stores  of  grain  from  robbers  among  their  own  people 
in  case  no  Mazitu  came !  They  gave  a  good  hut,  and  sent  off  at 
once  to  let  the  chief  of  Pambe  know  of  our  arrival.  We  heard 
the  cocks  crowing  up  there  in  the  mountain  as  we  pa.s.scd  in  the 
morning.    Chimuna  came  in  the  evening,  and  begged  mc  to  ro- 


120 


IJVIXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


main  a  day  in  bis  village,  Pamaloa,  as  he  was  the  greatest  chief 
the  Chipdta  had.  I  told  him  all  wished  the  same  thing,  and  if  I 
listened  to  each  chief  we  should  never  get  on,  and  the  rains  were 
near ;  but  we  had  to  stay  over  with  him. 

October  26th. — All  the  people  came  down  to-day  from  Pamb^ 
and  crowded  to  see  the  strangers.  They  know  very  little  beyond 
their  own  affairs,  though  these  require  a  good  deal  of  knowledge, 
and  we  should  be  sorely  put  about  if,  without  their  skill,  we  had 
to  maintain  an  existence  here.  Their  furnaces  are  rather  bottle- 
shaped,  and  about  seven  feet  high  by  three  broad.  One  tooth- 
less patriarch  had  heard  of  books  and  umbrellas,  but  had  never 
seen  either.  The  oldest  inhabitant  had  neyer  traveled  far  from 
the  spot  in  which  he  was  born,  yet  he  has  a  good  knowledge  of 
soils  and  agriculture,  hut-building,  basket-making,  pottery,  and 
the  manufacture  of  bark-cloth  and  skins  for  clothing,  as  also  mak- 
ing of  nets,  traps,  and  cordage. 

Chimuna  had  a  most  ungainly  countenance,  yet  did  well 
enough :  he  was  very  thankful  for  a  blister  on  his  loins  to  ease 
rheumatic  pains,  and  presented  a  huge  basket  of  porridge  before 
starting,  with  a  fowl,  and  asked  me  to  fire  a  gun,  that  the  Mazitu 
might  hear  and  know  that  armed  men  were  here.  They  all  say 
that  these  marauders  flee  from  fire-arms,  so  I  think  that  they  are 
not  Zulus  at  all,  though  adopting  some  of  their  ways. 

In  going  on  to  Mapuio's,  we  passed  several  large  villages,  each 
surrounded  by  the  usual  euphorbia  hedge,  and  having  large  trees 
for  shade.  We  are  on  a  level,  or  rather  gently  undulating  coun- 
try, rather  bare  of  trees.  At  the  junctions  of  these  earthen 
waves  we  have  always  an  oozing  bog;  this  often  occurs  in  the 
slope  down  the  trough  of  this  terrestrial  sea;  bushes  arc  com- 
mon, and  of  the  kind  which  were  cut  down  as  trees.  Yellow 
hematite  is  very  abundant,  but  the  other  rocks  scarcely  appear 
in  the  distance :  we  have  mountains  both  on  the  east  and  west. 

On  arriving  at  Mapuio's  village,  he  was,  as  often  happens,  in- 
visible, but  he  sent  us  a  calabash  of  fresh-made  beer,  which  is 
very  refreshing,  gave  us  a  hut,  and  promised  to  cook  for  us  in 
the  evening.  We  have  to  emplo3^  five  or  si.x  carriers,  and  they 
rule  the  length  of  the  day's  march.  Those  from  Cliimuna's  vil- 
lage growled  at  the  cubit  of  calico  with  which  we  paid  them,  but 
a  few  beads  pleased  them  perfectly,  and  we  parted  good  fi'icnds. 
It  is  not  likely  I  shall  ever  see  them  again,  but  I  always  like  to 
please  them,  because  it  is  right  to  consider  their  desires.  Is  that 
not  what  is  meant  in  "Blessed  is  he  that  considereth  the  poor?" 
There  is  a  great  deal  of  good  in  these  poor  people.    In  cases  of 


THE  CLAPPING  OF  HAXDS. 


121 


milando,  they  rely  on  the  most  distant  relations  and  connections 
to  plead  their  cause,  and  seldom  are  they  disappointed,  though 
time  at  certain  seasons,  as,  for  instance,  at  present,  is  felt  by  all 
to  be  precious.  Every  man  appears  with  hoe  or  axe  on  shoul- 
der, and  the  people  often  only  sit  down  as  we  pass  and  gaze  at  us 
till  we  are  out  of  sight. 

Many  of  the  men  have  large  slits  in  the  lobe  of  the  ear,  and 
they  have  their  distinctive  tribal  tattoo.  The  women  indulge  in 
this  painful  luxury  more  than  the  men,  proba- 
ably  because  they  have  very  few  ornaments. 
The  two  central  front  teeth  are  hollowed  at 
the  cutting  edge.    ^lany  have  quite  the  Gre- 

p.,  ,         -KT        ■     ^  1-1  T  Women's  Teeth  hollowed. 

cian  laciai  .angle,    Mapuio  has  turn  legs,  and 
quite  a  European  face.    Delicate  features  and  limbs  are  common, 
and  the  spur  heel  is  as  scarce  as  among  Europeans;  small  feet 
and  hands  are  the  rule. 

Clapping  the  hands  in  various  ways  is  the  polite  way  of  saying 
"Allow  me,"  "I  beg  pardon,"  "Permit  me  to  pass,"  "Thanks;" 
it  is  resorted  to  in  respectful  introduction  and  leave-taking,  and 
also  is  equivalent  to  "Hear,  hear."  When  inferiors  are  called, 
they  respond  by  two  brisk  claps  of  the  hands,  meaning  "I  am 
coming."  They  are  very  punctilious  among  each  other.  A 
large  ivory  bracelet  marks  the  head  man  of  a  village ;  there  is 
nothing  else  to  show  differences  of  rank. 

October  28th. — We  spent  Sunday  at  Mapuio's,  and  had  a  long 
talk  with  him:  his  country  is  in  a  poor  state  from  the  continual 
incursions  of  the  Mazitu,  who  are  wholly  unchecked. 

October  29ih. — We  marched  westward  to  Makosa's  village,  and 
could  not  go  farther,  as  the  next  stage  is  long  and  through  an  ill- 
peopled  country.  The  morning  was  lovely,  the  whole  country 
bathed  in  bright  sunlight,  and  not  a  breath  of  air  disturbed  the 
smoke  as  it  slowly  curled  up  from  the  heaps  of  burning  weeds, 
which  the  native  agriculturist  wi.sely  destroys.  The  people  gen- 
erally were  busy  hoeing  in  the  cool  of  the  day.  One  old  man 
in  a  village  where  wc  rested  had  trained  the  little  hair  he  had 
left  into  a  tail,  which,  well  plastered  with  fat,  he  had  bent  on  it- 
self and  laid  flat  on  his  crown ;  anotlier  was  carefully  paring  a 
stick  for  stirring  the  porridge,  and  others  were  enjoying  the  cool 
shade  of  the  wild  fig-trees  which  are  always  planted  at  villages. 
It  is  a  sacred  tree  all  over  Africa  and  India,  and  the  tender  roots 
which  drop  down  toward  the  ground  are  used  as  medicine — a 
universal  remedy.  Can  it  be  a  tradition  of  its  being  like  the  tree 
of  life,  which  Ai-c!ibi.sho[)  W^liately  conjectures  may  have  been 


122 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


used  in  Paradise  to  render  man  immortal?  One  kind  of  fig-tree 
is  often  seen  backed  all  over  to  get  the  sap,  which  is  used  as  bird- 
lime ;  bark-cloth  is  made  of  it  too.  I  like  to  see  the  men  weav- 
ing or  spinning,  or  reclining  under  these  glorious  canopies,  as 
much  as  I  love  to  see  our  more  civilized  people  lolling  on  their 
sofas  or  ottomans. 

The  first  rain — a  thunder-shower — fell  in  the  afternoon:  air  in 
shade  before  it,  92°  ;  wet  bulb,  74°.  At  noon  the  soil  in  the  sun 
was  140°,  perhaps  more,  but  I  was  afraid  of  bursting  the  ther- 
mometer, as  it  was  graduated  only  a  few  degrees  above  that. 
This  rain  happened  at  the  same  time  that  the  sun  was  directly 
overhead  on  lais  way  south  ;  it  was  but  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  but 
its  effect  was  to  deprive  us  of  all  chance  of  getting  the  five  carri- 
ers we  needed :  all  were  off  to  their  gardens  to  commit  the  pre- 
cious seed  to  the  soil.  We  got  three,  but  no  one  else  would 
come,  so  we  have  to  remain  here  over  to-day,  October  30th. 

October  30^/;.— The  black  traders  come  from  Tette  to  this  coun- 
try to  buy  slaves,  and  as  a  consequence  here  we  come  to  bugs 
again,  which  we  left  when  we  passed  the  Arab  slave-traders' 
beat. 

October  Z\st. — We  proceed  westward,  and  a  little  south  through 
a  country  covered  with  forest-trees,  thickly  planted,  but  small, 
generally  of  bark-cloth  and  gum-copal-trees,  masukos,  rhododen- 
drons, and  a  few  acacias.  At  one  place  we  saw  ten  wild  hogs  in 
a  group,  but  no  other  animal,  though  marks  of  elephants,  buffa- 
loes, and  other  animals  having  been  about  in  the  wet  season 
were  very  abundant.  The  first  few  miles  were  rather  more 
scant  of  water  than  usual,  but  we  came  to  the  Leue,  a  fine  little 
stream  with  plenty  of  water,  and  from  twenty  to  thirty  yards 
wide;  it  is  said  by  the  people  to  flow  away  westward  into  the 
Loangwa. 

November  1st,  1866. — In  the  evening  we  made  the  Chigumokird, 
a  nice  rivulet,  where  we.  slept,  and  the  next  morning  wc  proceed- 
ed to  Kangen^,  whose  village  is  situated  on  a  mass  of  mountains, 
and  to  reach  which  we  made  more  southing  than  wc  wished. 
Our  appearance  on  the  ascent  of  the  hill  caused  alarm,  and  we 
were  desired  to  wait  till  our  spokesman  had  explained  the  un- 
usual plienomenon  of  a  white  man. 

This  kept  us  waiting  in  the  liot  sun  among  heated  rocks,  and 
the  chief,  being  a  great  ugly,  public-house-keepcr-looking  person, 
excused  Ills  incivility  by  saying  that  his  brother  had  been  killed 
by  the  Mazitu,  and  he  was  afraid  that  we  were  of  the  same  tribe. 
On  asking  if  Mazitu  wore  clothes  like  us,  he  told  some  untruths, 


A  CHURLISH  HEAD  MAN. 


123 


and,  what  has  been  an  unusual  thing,  began  to  beg  powder  and 
other  things.  I  told  him  how  other  chiefs  had  treated  us,  which 
made  him  ashamed.  He  represented  the  country  in  front  to  the 
north-west  to  be  quite  impassable  from  want  of  food:  the  Mazitu 
had  stripped  it  of  all  provisions,  and  the  people  were  living  on 
what  wild  fruits  they  could  pick  up. 

November  2d. — Kangene  is  very  disagreeable  naturally,  and  as 
we  have  to  employ  five  men  as  carriers,  we  are  in  his  power. 

We  can  scarcely  enter  into  the  feelings  of  those  who  are  har- 
ried by  marauders.  Like  Scotland  in  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth 
centuries,  harassed  by  Highland  Celts  on  one  side,  and  by  En- 
glish Marchmen  on  the  other,  and  thus  kept  in  the  rearward  of 
civilization,  these  people  have  rest  neither  for  many  days  nor  for 
few.  When  they  fill  their  garners  they  can  seldom  reckon  on 
eating  the  grain,  for  the  Mazitu  come  when  the  harvest  is  over, 
and  catch  as  many  able-bodied  young  persons  as  they  can  to  car- 
ry away  the  corn.  Thus  it  was  in  Scotland,  so  far  as  security  for 
life  and  property  was  concerned ;  but  the  Scotch  were  apt  pupils 
of  more  fortunate  nations.  To  change  of  country  they  were  as 
indifferent  as  the  Romans  of  the  olden  times;  they  were  always 
welcome  in  France,  either  as  pilgrims,  scholars,  merchants,  or  sol- 
diers; but  the  African  is  different.  If  let  alone,  the  African's 
mode  of  life  is  rather  enjoyable;  he  loves  agriculture,  and  land 
is  to  be  had  anywhere.  He  knows  nothing  of  other  countries, 
but  he  has  imbibed  the  idea  of  property  in  man.  This  Kangene 
told  me  that  he  would  like  to  give  me  a  slave  to  look  after  my 
goats:  I  believe  he  would  rather  give  a  slave  than  a  goat! 

We  were  detained  by  the  illness  of  Simon  for  four  days. 
When  he  recovered,  we  proposed  to  the  head  man  to  start  with 
five  of  his  men,  and  he  agreed  to  let  us  have  them ;  but  having 
called  them  together,  such  an  enormous  demand  was  made  for 
wages,  and  in  advance,  that  on  the  7th  of  November  we  took 
seven  loads  forward  througli  a  level  uninhabited  countrv,  gener- 
ally covered  with  small  trees,  slept  there,  and  on  the  morning  of 
the  8th,  after  leaving  two  men  at  our  depot,  came  back  and  took 
the  remaining  five  loads. 

Kangene  was  disagreeable  to  the  last.  He  asked  where  we 
had  gone,  and,  having  described  the  turning-point  as  near  the 
hill  Chimbimbd,  he  complimented  us  on  going  so  far,  and  then 
sent  an  offer  of  three  men;  but  I  preferred  not  to  have  those  who 
would  have  been  spies  unless  lie  could  give  five  and  take  on  all 
the  loads.  Ho  said  that  he  would  find  the  number,  and,  after  de- 
taining us  some  hours,  brought  tWo,  one  of  whom,  primed  with 


124 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


beer,  babbled  out  that  he  was  afraid  of  being  killed  by  us  in 
front.  I  asked  whom'  we  had  killed  behind,  and  moved  off. 
The  head  man  is  very  childish,  does  women's  work  —  cooking 
and  pounding;  and  in  all  cases  of  that  kind  the  people  take 
after  their  leader.  The  chiefs  have  scarcely  any  power  unless 
they  are  men  of  energy;  they  have  to  court  the  people  rather 
than  be  courted.  We  came  much  farther  back  on  our  way  from 
Mapuio's  than  we  liked;  in  fact,  our  course  is  like  that  of  a 
vessel  baffled  with  foul  winds :  this  is  mainly  owing  to  being- 
obliged  to  avoid  places  stripped  of  provisions  or  suffering  this 
spoliation.  The  people,  too,  can  give  no  information  about  oth- 
ers at  a  distance  from  their  own  abodes.  Even  the  smiths,  who 
are  a  most  plodding  set  of  workers,  are  as  ignorant  as  the  others: 
they  supply  the  surrounding  villages  with  hoes  and  knives,  and, 
combining  agriculture  with  handicraft,  pass  through  life.  An 
intelligent  smith  came  as  our  guide  from  Chimbimbe  hill  on  the 
7th,  and  did  not  know  a  range  of  mountains  about  twenty  miles 
off:  "It  was  too  far  off  for  him  to  know  the  name." 

November  9th.  —  The  country  over  which  we  actually  travel 
is  level  and  elevated,  but  there  are  mountains  all  about,  which 
when  put  on  the  map  make  it  appear  to  be  a  mountainous  re- 
gion. We  are  on  the  water -shed,  apparently  between  the  Lo- 
angwa  of  Zumbo  on  the  west,  and  the  Luke  on  the  east.  The 
Lene,  or  Lenia,  is  said  by  the  people  to  flow  into  the  Loangwa. 
The  Chisrumokire  coming  from  the  north  in  front,  eastward  of 
Irongwe  (the  same  mountains  on  which  Kangene  skulks  out  of 
sight  of  Mazitu),  flows  into  the  Leue,  and  north  of  that  we  have 
the  Mando,  a  little  stream  flowing  into  the  Bua.  The  rivulets 
on  the  west  flow  in  deep  defiles,  and  the  elevation  on  which  we 
travel  makes  it  certain  that  no  water  can  come  from  the  lower 
lands  on  the  west.  It  seems  that  the  Portuguese  in  traveling  to 
Casembe  did  not  inquire  of  the  people  where  the  streams  they 
crossed  went,  for  they  are  often  wrongly  put,  and  indicate  the 
direction  only  in  which  they  appeared  to  be  flowing  at  their 
crossing-places.  The  natives  have  a  good  idea  generally  of  the 
rivers  into  which  the  streams  flow,  though  they  are  very  deficient 
in  information  as  to  the  condition  of  the  people  that  live  on  their 
banks.  Some  of  the  Portuguese  questions  must  have  been  ask- 
ed through  slaves,  who  would  show  no  hesitation  in  answering. 
Maxinga,  or  Machinga,  means  "  mountains"  only  ;  once  or  twice 
it  is  put  down  Saxa  de  Maxinga,  or  Machinga,  or  Mcanga,  whicli, 
translated  from  the  native  tongue,  means  "rocks  of  mountains, 
or  mountains  of  rocks." 


NATIVE  HOE-MAKING. 


125 


November  10th. — We  found  the  people  on  the  Mando  to  be 
Chawa  or  Ajawa,  but  not  of  the  Waiyau  race:  they  are  Man- 
ganja,  and  this  is  a  village  of  smiths.  We  got  five  men  readily 
to  go  back  and  bring  up  our  loads;  and  the  sound  of  the  ham- 
mer is  constant,  showing  a  great  deal  of  industry.  They  combine 
agriculture,  and  hunting  with  nets,  with  their  handicraft. 

A  herd  of  buffaloes  came  near  the  village,  and  I  w^ent  and 
shot  one,  thus  procuring  a  supply  of  meat  for  the  whole  part}^ 
and  villagers  too.  The  hammer  which  we  hear  from  dawn  till 
sunset  is  a  large  stone,  bound  with  the  strong  inner  bark  of  a 
tree,  and  loops  left  which  form  handles.  Two  pieces  of  bark 
form  the  tongs,  and  a  big  stone  sunk  into  the  ground  the  anvil. 


They  make  several  hoes  in  a  day,  and  the  metal  is  very  good ; 
it  is  all  from  yellow  hematite,  wliicli  abounds  all  over  this  part 
of  the  country:  the  bellows  consist  of  two  goat-skins  with  sticks 
at  the  open  end.s,  wliieh  are  opened  and  shut  at  every  blast. 
November  IBlh. — A  lion  came  last  night  and  gave  a  growl  or 


126 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


two  on  finding  he  could  not  get  our  meat:  a  man  had  lent  us  a 
hunting-net  to  protect  it  and  us  from  intruders  of  this  sort.  The 
people  kept  up  a  shouting  for  hours  afterward,  in  order  to  keep 
him  away  by  the  human  voice. 

We  might  have  gone  on,  but  I  had  a  galled  heel  from  new 
shoes.    Wild  figs  are  rather  nice  when  quite  ripe. 

November  l-iih. — We  marched  northward  round  the  end  of 
Chisia  Hill,  and  remained  for  the  night  at  a  blacksmith's,  or  rath- 
er founder's  village.  The  two  occupations  of  founder  and  smith 
are  always  united,  and  boys  taught  to  be  smiths  in  Europe  or 
India  would  find  themselves  useless  if  unable  to  smelt  the  ore. 
A  good  portion  of  the  trees  of  the  country -have  been  cut  down 
for  charcoal,  and  those  which  now  spring  up  are  small :  certain 
fruit-trees  alone  are  left.  The  long  slopes  on  the  undulating 
country,  clothed  with  fresh  foliage,  look  very  beautiful.  The 
young  trees  alternate  with  patches  of  yellow  grass  not  yet  burn- 
ed ;  the  hills  are  covered  with  a  thick  mantle  of  small  green  trees, 
with,  as  usual,  large  ones  at  intervals.  The  people  at  Kalumbi, 
on  the  Mando  (where  we  spent  four  days),  had  once  a  stockade 
of  wild  fig  {Ficus  Indica)  and  euphorbia  round  their  village,  which 
has  a  running  rill  on  each  side  of  it ;  but  the  trees  which  enabled 
them  to  withstand  a  siege  by  Mazitu  fell  before  elephants  and 
buffaloes  during  a  temporary  absence  of  the  villagers:  the  re- 
mains of  the  stockade  are  all  around  it  yet.  Lions  sometimes 
enter  huts  by  breaking  through  the  roof:  elephants  certainly 
do,  for  we  saw  a  roof  destroyed  by  one.  The  only  chance  for 
the  inmates  is  to  drive  a  spear  into  the  belly  of  the  beast  while 
so  engaged. 

A  man  came  and  reported  the  !^^azitu  to  be  at  Chanyandula's 
village,  where  we  are  going.  The  head  man  advised  remaining 
at  his  village  till  we  saw  whether  they  came  this  way  or  went  by 
another  path.  The  women  were  sent  away,  but  the  men  went 
on  with  their  employments;  two  proceeded  with  the  building  of 
a  furnace  on  an  ant-hill,  where  they  are  almost  always  placed, 
and  they  keep  a  lookout  while  working.  We  have  the  protec- 
tion of  an  all-ejTibracing  Providence,  and  trust  that  he  whose 
care  of  his  pcojile  exceeds  all  that  our  utmost  self-love  can  at- 
tain, will  shield  us  and  make  our  way  prosperous. 

November  16lh. — An  elephant  came  near  enough  last  niglit  to 
scream  at  us,  but  passed  on,  warned,  perhaps,  by  the  shouting  of 
the  villagers  not  to  meddle  witli  man.  No  Mazitu  having  come, 
we  marched  on  and  crossed  the  ]3ua,  eight  yards  wide,  and  knoc- 
dcep.    It  rises  in  the  northern  hills  a  little  beyond  Kanyinduhi's 


AN  ELEPHANT- KILLEE. 


127 


village,  winds  round  his  mountains,  and  away  to  the  east.  The 
scenery  among  the  mountains  is  very  lovely :  they  are  covered 
with  a  close  mantle  of  green,  with  here  and  there  red  and  light- 
colored  patches,  showing  where  grass  has  been  burned  off  recent- 
ly and  the  red-clay  soil  is  exposed :  the  lighter  portions  are  un- 
burned  grass  or  rocks.  Large  trees  are  here  more  numerous,  and 
give  an  agreeable  change  of  contour  to  the  valleys  and  ridges  of 
the  hills;  the  boughs  of  many  still  retain  a  tinge  of  red  from 
young  leaves.  We  came  to  the  Bau  again  before  reaching 
Kanyenjd,  as  Kanyindula's  place  is  called.  The  iron  trade  must 
have  been  carried  on  for  an  immense  time  in  the  country,  for 
one  can  not  go  a  quarter  of  a  mile  without  meeting  pieces  of  slag 
and  broken  pots,  calcined  pipes,  and  fragments  of  the  furnaces, 
which  are  converted  by  the  fire  into  brick.  It  is  curious  that 
the  large  stone  sledge-hammers  now  in  use  are  not  called  by  the 
name  stone-hammers,  but  by  a  distinct  word,  "  kama :"  nyundo 
is  one  made  of  iron. 

When  we  arrived  at  Kanyenje,  Kanyindula  was  out  collecting 
charcoal :  he  sent  a  party  of  men  to  ask  if  we  should  remain  next 
day.  An  old,  unintellectual-looking  man  was  among  the  number 
sent,  who  had  twenty-seven  rings  of  elephant's  skin  on  his  arm, 
all  killed  by  himself  by  the  spear  alone.  He  had  given  up  fight- 
ing elephants  since  the  Mazitu  came,  whom  we  heard  had  passed 
away  to  the  south-east  of  this  place,  taking  all  the  crops  of  last 
year,  and  the  chief  alone  has  food.  He  gave  us  some,  which  was 
very  acceptable,  as  we  got  none  at  the  two  villages  south  of  this. 
Kanyindula  came  himself  in  tlie  evening,  an  active,  stern-looking 
man,  but  we  got  on  very  well  with  him. 

The  people  say  that  they  were  taught  to  smelt  iron  by  Chisum- 
pi,  which  is  the  name  of  Mulungu  (God),  and  that  they  came 
from  Lake  Nyassa  originally  ;  if  so,  they  are  greatly  inferior  to 
the  Manganja  on  the  Lake  in  pottery,  for  tlie  fragments,  as  well 
as  modern  whole  vessels,  are  very  coarse ;  the  ornamentation  is 
omitted,  or  merely  dots.  They  never  heard  of  aerolites,  but  know 
hail. 

I  notice  here  that  the  tree  Mfu,  or  Mo,  having  sweet-scented 
leaves,  yields  an  edible  plum  in  clusters.  Bua-bwa  is  another 
edible  fruit-tree,  with  palmated  leaves. 

Mh6n  is  a  climbing,  arboraceous  plant,  and  yields  a  very  pleas- 
ant fruit,  which  tastes  like  gooseberries:  its  seeds  are  very  mi- 
nute. 

Novemhrr  IHl/i,  Idl/i. — Rain  fell  heavily  yesterday  afternoon,  and 
was  very  threatening  to-day.  *  Wc  remain  lo  sew  a  calico  tent 


128 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUBNALS. 


November  20th. — Kanyindula  came  with  three  carriers  this 
morning  instead  of  five,  and  joined  them  in  demanding  prepay- 
ment. It  was  natural  for  him  to  side  with  them,  as  they  have 
more  power  than  he  has;  in  fact,  the  chiefs  in  these  parts  all' 
court  their  people,  and  he  could  feel  more  interest  in  them  than 
in  an  entire  stranger  whom  he  might  never  see  again  :  however, 
we  came  on  without  his  people,  leaving  two  to  guard  the  loads. 

About  four  miles  up  the  valley  we  came  to  a  village  named 
Kanyenjere  Mponda,  at  the  fountain-eye  of  the  Bua,  and  thence 
sent  men  back  for  the  loads,  while  we  had  the  shelter  of  good 
huts  during  a  heavy  thunder  -  shower,  and  made  us  willing  to 
remain  all  night.  The  valley  is  lovely  in  the  extreme.  The 
mountains  on  each  side  are  gently  rounded,  and,  as  usual,  cover- 
ed over  with  tree  foliage,  except  where  the  red  soil  is  exposed  by 
recent  grass-burnings.  Quartz  rocks  jut  out,  and  much  drift  of 
that  material  has  been  carried  down  by  the  gullies  into  the  bot- 
tom. These  gullies  being  in  compact  clay,  the  water  has  but  lit- 
tle power  of  erosion,  so  they  are  worn  deep  but  narrow.  Some 
fragments  of  titaniferous  iron  ore,  with  hematite  changed  by  heat, 
and  magnetic,  lay  in  the  gully,  which  had  worn  itself  a  channel 
on  the  north  side  of  the  village.  The  Bua,  like  most  African 
streams  whose  sources  I  have  seen,  rises  in  an  oozing  boggy  spot. 
Another  stream,  the  Tembwd,  rises  near  the  same  spot,  and  flows 
north-west  into  the  Loangwa.    We  saw  Shuard  palms  in  its  bed. 

November  21st. — We  left  Bua  fountain,  lat.  13°  40'  S.,  and  made 
a  short  march  to  Mokatoba,  a  stockaded  village,  where  the  peo- 
ple refused  to  admit  us  till  the  head  man  came.  They  have  a  lit- 
tle food  here,  and  sold  us  some.  We  have  been  on  rather  short 
commons  for  some  time,  and  this  made  our  detention  agreeable. 
We  rose  a  little  in  altitude  after  leaving  this  morning,  then,  though 
in  the  same  valley,  made  a  little  descent  toward  the  north-north- 
west. High  winds  came  driving  over  the  eastern  range,  which  is 
called  Mchinjc!?,  and  bring  large  masses  of  clouds,  which  are  the 
rain -givers.  They  seem  to  come  from  the  south-east.  The 
scenery  of  the  valley  is  lovely  and  rich  in  the  extreme.  All  the 
foliage  is  fresh  waslied  and  clean;  young  herbage  is  bursting 
through  the  ground;  the  air  is  deliciously  cool,  and  the  birds  are 
singing  joyfully  :  one,  called  Mzie,  is  a  good  songster,  witli  a  loud 
melodious  voice.  Large  game  abounds,  but  wo  do  not  meet  with  it. 

We  are  making  our  way  slowly  to  the  north,  where  food  is 
said  to  be  abundant.  1  divided  about  fifty  pounds  of  powder 
among  the  people  of  my  following  to  shoot  with,  and  buy  goats 
or  other  food  as  we  could.    This  reduces  our  extra  loads  to  three 


THE  LOANGWA  VALLEY. 


129 


— four  just  now,  Simon  being  sick  again.  He  rubbed  goats'-fat 
on  a  blistered  surface,  and  caused  an  eruption  of  pimples. 

Mem. — The  people  assent  by  lifting  up  the  head  instead  of  nod- 
ding it  down  as  we  do  ;  deaf  mutes  are  said  to  do  the  same. 

Kovemher  —  Leaving  Mokatoba  village,  and  proceeding 
down  the  valley,  which  on  the  north  is  shut  up  apparently  by 
a  mountain  called  Kokwe,  we  crossed  the  Kasamba,  about  two 
miles  from  Mokatoba,  and  yet  found  it,  though  so  near  its  source, 
four  yards  wide,  and  knee-deep.  Its  source  is  about  a  mile  above 
Mokatoba,  in  the  same  valley  with  the  Bua  and  Tembwe.  We 
were  told  that  elephants  were  near,  and  we  saw  where  they  had 
been  an  hour  before ;  but,  after  seeking  about,  could  not  find  them. 
An  old  man,  in  the  deep  defile  between  Kokwe  and  Yasika 
mountains,  pointed  to  the  latter,  and  said,  "  Elephants !  why,  there 
they  are.  Elephants,  or  tusks  walking  on  foot,  are  never  absent;" 
.  but  thouo^h  we  were  casrer  for  flesh,  we  could  not  srive  him  credit, 
and  went  down  the  defile  which  gives  rise  to  the  Sandili  River. 
Where  we  crossed  it  in  the  defile,  it  was  a  mere  rill,  having  large 
trees  along  its  banks,  yet  it  is  said  to  go  to  the  Loangwa  of  Zum- 
bo,  north-west  or  north-north-west.  We  were  now,  in  fact,  upon 
the  slope  which  inclines  to  that  river,  and  made  a  rapid  descent 
in  altitude.  We  reached  Silubi's  village,  on  the  base  of  a  rocky 
detached  hill.  No  food  to  be  had;  all  taken  by  Mazitu ;  so  Si- 
lubi  gave  me  some  masuko  fruit  instead.  They  find  that  they 
can  keep  the  Mazitu  off  by  going  up  a  rocky  eminence,  and  hurl- 
ing stones  and  arrows  down  on  the  invaders :  they  can  defend 
themselves  also  by  stockades,  and  these  are  becoming  very  general. 

On  leaving  Silubi's  village,  we  went  to  a  range  of  hills,  and 
after  passing  through  found  that  we  had  a  comparatively  level 
country  on  the  north  :  it  would  be  called  a  wcll-woodcd  country 
if  we  looked  at  it  oidy  from  a  distance.  It  is  formed  into  long 
ridges,  all  green  and  wooded;  but  clumps  of  large  trees,  where 
villages  have  been,  or  arc  still  situated,  show  that  the  sylvan  foli- 
age around  and  over  the  whole  country  is  that  of  mere  hop-poles. 
The  whole  of  this  upland  region  might  be  called  woody,  if  we 
bear  in  mind  tliat  where  the  population  is  dense,  and  has  been 
long  undisturbed,  the  trees  are  cut  down  to  tlie  size  of  low  bush. 
Large  districts  are  kept  to  about  the  size  of  hop-poles,  growing 
on  pollards  three  or  four  feet  from  the  ground,  by  charcoal  burn- 
ers, who  in  all  instances  are  smiths  too. 

On  r'eaching  Zeore's  village,  on  the  Lokuzhwa,  wc  found  it 
stockaded,  and  stagnant  pools  round  llirce  sides  of  it.  The  Mazi- 
tu had  come,  pillaged  all  the  surrounding  villages,  looked  at  this, 


130 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


and  then  went  away ;  so  the  people  had  food  to  sell.  They  here 
call  themselves  Echewa,  and  have  a  different  marking  from  the 
Atumboka.  The  men  have  the  hair  dressed  as  if  a  number  of  the 
hairs  of  elephants'  tails  were  stuck  around  the  head.  The  wom- 
en wear  a  small  lip-ring,  and  a  straw  or  piece  of  stick  in  the  low- 
er lip,  which  dangles  down  about  level  with  the  lower  edge  of 
the  chin  :  their  clothing  in  front  is  very  scanty.  The  men  know 
nothing  of  distant  places,  the  Manganja  being  a  very  stay-at-home 
people.  The  stockades  are  crowded  with  huts,  and  the  children 
have  but  small  room  to  play  in  the  narrow  spaces  between. 

November  26th. — Sunday  at  Zeore's.  The  villagers  thought  we 
prayed  for  rain,  which  was  much  needed.  The  cracks  in  the  soil 
have  not  yet  come  together  by  the  swelling  of  soil  produced  by 
moisture.  I  disabused  their  minds  about  rain-making  prayers, 
and  found  the  head  man  intelligent. 

I  did  not  intend  to  notice  the  Lokuzhwa,  it  is  such  a  contempt- 
ible little  rill,  and  not  at  present  running;  but  in  going  to  our 
next  point,  Mpandd's  village,  we  go  along  its  valley,  and  cross  it 
several  times,  as  it  makes  for  the  Loangwa  in  the  north.  The 
valley  is  of  rich  dark-red  loam,  and  so  many  lilies  of  the  Amaryl- 
lis kind  have  established  themselves  as  completely  to  mask  the 
color  of  the  soil.  They  form  a  covering  of  pure  white  where  the 
land  has  been  cleared  by  the  hoe.  As  we  go  along  this  valley 
to  the  Loangwa,  we  descend  in  altitude.  It  is  said  to  rise  at 
"Nombc  rumc,"  as  we  formerly  heard. 

November  27ih. — Zeore's  people  would  not  carry  without  pre- 
payment, so  we  left  our  extra  loads  as  usual  and  went  on,  send- 
ing men  back  for  them :  these,  however,  did  not  come  till  27th, 
and  then  two  of  my  men  got  fever.  I  groan  in  spirit,  and  do 
not  know  how  to  make  our  gear  into  nine  loads  only.  It  is  the 
knowledge  that  we  shall  be  detained  some  two  or  three  months 
during  the  heavy  rains  that  makes  me  cleave  to  it  as  means  of 
support. 

Advantage  has  been  taken  by  the  people  of  spots  where  the 
Lokuzhwa  goes  round  three  parts  of  a  circle,  to  erect  their  stock- 
aded villages.  This  is  the  case  here,  and  the  water,  being  stag- 
nant, engenders  disease.  The  country  abounds  in  a  fine  light- 
blue  flowering,  perennial  pea,  which  the  peo{)le  make  use  of  as  a 
relish.  At  present  the  blossoms  only  are  collected  and  boiled. 
On  inquiring  the  name  chilohe,  the  men  asked  me  if  we  had 
none  in  our  country.  On  replying  in  the  negative,  they  looked 
with  {)ity  on  us:  "What  a  wretched  country  not  to  have  chi- 
lobd!"  It  is  on  the  highlands  above  ;  we  never  saw  it  elsewhere. 


AX  JXrOCATIOX  FOE  BAIX. 


131 


Another  species  of  pea  {Chilobe  Weza),  with  reddish  flowers,  is 
eaten  in  the  same  way ;  bat  it  has  spread  but  little  in  compar- 
ison. It  is  worth  remarking  that  porridge  of  maize  or  sorghum 
is  never  offered  without  some  pulse,  beans  or  bean  -  leaves,  or 
flowers.  They  seem  to  feel  the  need  of  it,  or  of  pulse,  which  is 
richer  in  flesh-formers  than  the  porridge. 

Last  night  a  loud  clapping  of  hands  by  the  men  was  followed 
by  several  half- suppressed  screams  by  a  woman.  They  were 
quite  eldritch,  as  if  she  could  not  get  them  out  Then  succeeded 
a  lot  of  utterances  as  if  she  were  in  ecstasy,  to  which  a  man  re- 
sponded, "  Moio,  moio."  The  utterances,  so  far  as  I  could  catch, 
were  in  five-syllable  snatches — abrupt  and  labored.  I  wonder  if 
this  "bubbling  or  boiling  over"  has  been  preserved  as  the  form  in 
which  the  true  prophets  of  old  gave  forth  their  "  burdens?"'  One 
sentence,  frequently  repeated  toward  the  close  of  the  effusion,  was 
'■'■linyaraa  uia,^^  "flesh  of  the  bow,''  showing  that  the  Pythoness 
loved  venison  killed  by  the  bow.  The  people  applauded,  and  at- 
tended, hoping,  I  suppose,  that  rain  would  follow  her  efforts. 
Next  day  she  was  duly  honored  by  drumming  and  dancing.* 

Prevalent  beliefs  seem  to  be  persistent  in  certain  tribes.  That 
strange  idea  of  property  in  man  that  permits  him  to  be  sold  to 
another  is  among  the  Arabs,  Manganja,  Makoa,  Waiyau,  but  not 
among  Kafir rs  or  Zulus,  and  Bechuanas.  If  we  exclude  the 
Arabs,  two  families  of  Africans  alone  are  slavers  on  the  east  side 
of  the  continent. 

November  BOfh. — "We  march  to  Chilunda's  or  Embora's,  still  on 
the  Lokuzhwa,  now  a  sand-stream  about  twenty  yards  wide,  with 
pools  in  its  bed;  its  course  is  pretty  much  north  or  north  north- 
west.  We  are  now  near  the  Loangwa  country,  covered  with  a 
dense  dwarf  forest,  and  the  people  collected  in  stockades.  This 
village  is  on  a  tongue  of  land  (between  Lokuzhwa  and  another 
sluggish  rivulet),  chosen  for  its  strength.  It  is  close  to  a  hill  named 
Chipemba,  and  there  are  ranges  of  hills  both  east  and  west  in  the 
distance.  Embora  came  to  visit  us  soon  after  we  arrived — a  tall 
man  with  a  Yankee  face.  He  was  very  much  tickled  when  ask- 
ed if  he  were  a  Motumboka.    After  indulging  in  laughter  at  t^e 


*  Chuma  remembers  part  of  the  words  of  her  song  to  be  as  follows : 

Kow^I  kowd !  n'nndambwi, 

M'viiln  le'rii,  korole  ko  okwd, 

Waic,  onn,  kordi,  mvidii! 
He  can  not  translate  it,  as  it  is  pnre  ^lanRanja ;  but  with  the  exception  of  the  first 
line,  which  relates  to  a  little  song-bird  with  a  buiiiitiful  note,  it  is  a  mere  reiteration, 
"Ilain  will  surely  come  to-day." — Ed. 


132 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


idea  of  being  one  of  such  a  small  tribe  of  Manganja,  he  said 
proudly,  "  That  he  belonged  to  the  Echewa,  who  inhabited  all  the 
country  to  which  I  was  going."  They  are  generally  smiths ;  a 
mass  of  iron  had  just  been  brought  in  to  him  from  some  outlying- 
furnaces.  It  is  made  into  hoes,  which  are  sold  for  native  cloths 
down  the  Loangwa. 

December  Bd,  1866.  —  March  through  a  hilly  country  covered 
with  dwarf  forest  to  Kande's  village,  still  on  the  Lokuzhwa.  We 
made  some  westing.  The  village  was  surrounded  by  a  dense 
hedge  of  bamboo  and  a  species  of  bushy  fig  that  loves  edges  of 
water-bearing  streams :  it  is  not  found  where  the  moisture  is  not 
perennial.  Kande  is  a  fine  tall  smith;  I  asked  him  if  he  knew 
his  antecedents ;  he  said  he  had  been  bought  by  Babisa  at 
Chipeta,  and  left  at  Chilunda's,  and  therefore  belonged  to  no  one. 
Two  Waiyau  now  volunteered  to  go  on  with  us,  and  as  they  de- 
clared their  masters  were  killed  by  the  Mazitu,  and  Kande  seem- 
ed to  confirm  them,  we  let  them  join.  In  general,  runaway  slaves 
are  bad  characters,  but  these  two  seem  good  men,  and  we  want 
them  to  fill  up  our  complement:  another  volunteer  we  employ 
as  goat- herd. 

A  continuous  tap-tapping  in  the  villages  shows  that  bark-cloth 
is  being  made.    The  bark,  on  being  removed 
from  the  tree,  is  steeped  in  water,  or  in  a  black 
muddy  hole,  till  the  outer  of  the  two  inner  barks 
can  be  separated,  then  commences  the  tapping 
with  a  mallet  to  separate  and  soften  the  fibres. 
The  head  of  this  is  often  of  ebony,  with  the  face 
Mallet  for  separating  cut  into  Small  furrows,  which,  without  breaking, 
Fibres  of  Bark.     separate  and  soften  the  fibres. 
December  Alli. — Marched  westward,  over  a  hilly,  dwarf  forest- 
covered  country:  as  we  advanced,  trees  increased  in  size,  but  no 
people  inhabited  it.    We  spent  a  miserable  night  at  Katdttd, 
wetted  by  a  heavy  thunder-shower,  which  lasted  a  good  while. 
Morning  (December  5th)  muggy,  clouded  all  over,  and  rolling 
thunder  in  distance.    Went  three  hours  with,  for  a  wonder,  no 
water,  but  made  westing  chiefly,  and  got  on  to  the  Lokuzhwa 
again:  all  the  people  are  collected  on  it. 
December  6(h. — Too  ill  to  march, 

December  7ih. — Went  on,  and  passed  Mosumbc's  villnge,  also 
protected  by  bamboos,  and  came  to  the  hill  Mparawc,  with  a  vil- 
lage perched  on  its  northern  base  and  well  up  its  sides.  The 
Babisa  have  begun  to  imitate  the  Mazitu  by  attacking  and  plun- 
dering Manganja  villages.    Muasi's  brother  was  so  attacked,  and 


A  FOESAKEN  liiFANT. 


133 


now  is  here  and  eager  to  attack  in  return.  In  various  villages  we 
have  observed  miniature  huts,  about  two  feet  high,  very  neatly 
thatched  and  plastered :  here  we  noticed  them  in  dozens.  On 
inquiring,  we  were  told  that  when  a  child  or  relative  dies  one  is 
made,  and  when  any  pleasant  food  is  cooked  or  beer  brewed,  a 
little  is  placed  in  the  tiny  hut  for  the  departed  soul,  which  is  be- 
lieved to  enjoy  it. 

The  Lokuzhwa  is  here  some  fifty  yards  wide,  and  running. 
Numerous  large  pit-holes  in  the  fine-grained  schist  in  its  bed  show 
that  much  water  has  flowed  in  it. 

December  8th. — A  kind  of  bean  called  "  chitetta"  is  eaten  here  : 
it  is  an  old  acquaintance  in  the  Bechuana  country,  where  it  is 
called  "mositsane,"  and  is  a  mere  plant;  here  it  becomes  a  tree, 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  high.  The  root  is  used  for  tanning; 
the  bean  is  pounded,  and  then  put  into  a  sieve  of  bark-cloth  to 
extract,  by  repeated  washings,  the  excessively  astringent  matter 
it  contains.  Where  the  people  have  plenty  of  water,  as  here,  it 
is  used  copiously  in  various  processes :  among  Bechuanas  it  is 
scarce,  and  its  many  uses  unknown.  The  pod  becomes  from  fif- 
teen to  eighteen  inches  long,  and  an  inch  in  diameter. 

December  9th. — A  poor  child,  whose  mother  had  died,  was  un- 
provided for;  no  one  not  a  relative  will  nurse  another's  child. 
It  called  out  pitcously  for  its  mother  by  name,  and  the  women 
(like  the  servants  in  the  case  of  the  poet  Cowper  when  a  child), 
said,  "  She  is  coming."  I  gave  it  a  piece  of  bread ;  but  it  was 
too  far  gone,  and  is  dead  to-day. 

An  alarm  of  Mazitu  sent  all  the  villagers  up  the  sides  of 
Mparawd  this  morning.  The  affair  was  a  chase  of  a  hyena,  but 
every  thing  is  Mazitu !  ^J'hc  Babisa  came  here,  but  were  sur- 
rounded and  nearly  all  cut  off.  Muasi  was  so  eager  to  be  off 
with  a  party  to  return  the  attack  on  the  Mazitu,  that,  when  de- 
puted by  the  head  man  to  give  us  a  guide,  he  got  the  man  to 
turn  at  the  first  village,  so  we  had  to  go  on  without  guides,  and 
made  about  due  north. 

December  lUh. — We  arc  now  detained  in  the  forest,  at  a  place 
called  Chondc  Forest,  by  set-in  rains.  It  rains  every  day,  and 
generally  in  the  afternoon  ;  but  the  country  is  not  wetted  till  the 
"set-in"  rains  commence:  the  cracks  in  the  soil  then  fill  up,  and 
every  thing  rushes  up  with  astonishing  rapidity ;  the  grass  is 
quite  crisp  and  soft.  After  the  fine-grained  schi.st,  we  came  on 
granite  witli  large  flakes  of  talc  in  it.  This  forest  is  of  good- 
sized  trce.'^,  many  of  tlicm  mopant'.  '^Flie  birds  now  make  much 
melody  and  noise — all  intent  on  building. 


134 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


December  12th. — Across  an  undulating  forest  country  north  we 
got  a  man  to  show  us  the  way,  if  a  pathless  forest  can  so  be  call- 
ed. We  used  a  game-path  as  long  as  it  ran  north,  but  left  it 
when  it  deviated,  and  rested  under  a  baobab-tree  with  a  mara- 
bou's nest — a  bundle  of  sticks  on  a  branch :  the  young  ones  ut- 
tered a  hard  chuck,  chuck,  when  the  old  ones  flew  over  them. 
A  sun-bird,  with  bright  scarlet  throat  and  breast,  had  its  nest  on 
another  branch:  it  was  formed  like  the  weaver's  nest,  but  with- 
out a  tube.  I  observed  the  dam  picking  out  insects  from  the 
bark  and  leaves  of  the  baobab,  keeping  on  the  wing  the  while: 
it  would  thus  appear  to  be  insectivorous  as  .well  as  a  honey-bib- 
ber. Much  spoor  of  elands,  zebras,  gnus,  kamas,  pallahs,  buffa- 
loes, reed-bucks,  with  tsetse,  their  parasites. 

December  I3lh. — Reached  the  Tokosusi,  which  is  said  to  rise 
at  Nombe  Rume,  about  twenty  yards  wide  and  knee-deep,  swollen 
by  the  rains:  it  had  left  a  cake  of  black  tenacious  mud  on  its 
banks.  Here  I  got  a  pallah  antelope,  and  a  very  strange  flower 
called  " katendd,"  which  was  a  whorl  of  seventy-two  flowers 
sprung  from  a  flat,  round  root ;  but  it  can  not  be  described.  Our 
guide  would  have  crossed  the  Tokosusi,  which  was  running 
north-west  to  join  the  Loangwa,  and  then  gone  to  that  river; 
but  always  when  we  have  any  difficulty  the  "lazies"  exhibit 
themselves.  We  had  no  grain;  and  three  remained  behind 
spending  four  hours  at  what  we  did  in  an  hour  and  a  quarter. 
Our  guide  became  tired  and  turned,  not  before  securing  another; 
but  he  would  not  go  over  the  Loangwa;  no  one  likes  to  go  out 
of  his  own  country:  he  would  go  westward  to  Maranda's,  and  no- 
where else.  A  "set-in"  rain  came  on  after  dark,  and  we  went 
on  through  slush,  the  trees  sending  down  heavier  drops  than  the 
showers  as  we  neared  the  Loangwa ;  we  forded  several  deep  gul- 
lies, all  flowing  north  or  north-west  into  it.  The  paths  were  run- 
ning with  water,  and  when  we  emerged  from  the  large  Mopand 
forest,  we  came  on  the  plain  of  excessively  adhesive  mud,  on 
which  Maranda's  stronghold  stands,  on  the  left  bank  of  Loang- 
wa, here  a  good-sized  river.  The  people  were  all  afraid  of  us, 
and  we  were  mortified  to  find  that  food  is  scarce.  The  Mazitu 
have  been  here  three  times,  and  the  fear  they  have  inspired, 
though  they  were  successfully  repelled,  has  prevented  agricul- 
tural operations  from  being  carried  on. 

Afem. — A  flake  of  reed  is  often  used  in  surgical  operations 
among  the  natives,  as  being  sharper  than  their  knivea 


A  DIFFICULT  MARCH. 


135 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Crosses  the  Loangwa. — Distressing  March. — The  King-hunter. — Great  Hunger. — 
Christmas  Feast  necessarily  postponed. — Loss  of  Goats. — Honey-hunters. — A 
Meal  at  last. — The  Babisa. — The  Maxitu  again. — Chitembo's. — End  of  18G6. — 
The  New  Year. — Tlie  northern  Brim  of  the  great  Loangwa  Valley. — Accident  to 
Chronometers. — Meal  gives  out. — Escape  from  a  Cobra  Capello. — Pushes  for  the 
Chambeze'. — Death  of  CHiitane'. — Great  Pinch  for  Food. — Disastrous  Loss  of  Medi- 
cine-chest.— Bead  Currency. — Babisa. — The  Chambeze. — Reaches  Chitapangwa's 
Town. — Meets  Arab  Traders  from  Zanzibar. — Sends  off  Letters. — Chitapangwa 
and  his  People. — Complications. 

December  16th,  1866. — "We  could  get  no  food  at  any  price  on 
loth,  so  we  crossed  the  Loangwa,  and  judged  it  to  be  from  sev- 
enty to  a  hundred  yards  wide.  It  is  deep  at  present,  and  it 
must  always  be  so,  for  some  Atumboka  submitted  to  the  Mazitu, 
and  ferried  them  over  and  back  again.  The  river  is  said  to  rise 
in  the  north :  it  has  alluvial  banks  with  large  forest-trees  along 
them,  bottom  sandy,  and  great  sand-banks  are  in  it,  like  the  Zam- 
besi. No  guide  would  come,  so  we  went  on  without  one.  The 
"lazies"  of  the  party  seized  the  opportunity  of  remaining  be- 
hind— wandering,  as  they  said,  though  all  the  cross  paths  were 
marked.*  This  evening  we  secured  the  latitude  12°  40'  48"  S., 
which  would  make  our  crossing-place  about  12°  45'  S.  Clouds 
prevented  observations,  as  they  usually  do  in  the  rainy  season. 

December  17th. — We  went  on  through  a  bushy  country  with- 
out paths,  and  struck  the  Pamazi,  a  river  of  sixty  yards  wide,  in 
steep  banks  and  in  flood,  and  held  on  as  well  as  we  could  through 
a  very  difficult  country,  the  river  forcing  us  north-west:  I  heard 
hip{)0{)otami  in  it.  Game  is  abundant,  but  wild ;  we  shot  two 
poku  antelopesf  here,  called  "  tscbulas,"  whicli  drew  a  hunter  to 
us,  who  consented  for  meat  and  pay  to  show  us  a  ford.  lie  said 
that  the  Pamazi  rises  in  a  range  of  mountains  we  can  now  see  (in 
general  we  could  see  no  high  ground  during  our  marches  for  the 
last  fortnight).  Wo  forded  it,  thigh-dcop  on  one  side  and  breast- 
deep  on  the  other.   We  made  only  about  three  miles  of  northing, 


•  In  coming  to  cross-roads,  it  is  tho  custom  of  the  leader  to  "  mark"  nil  side  paths 
and  wrong  turnings  by  making  a  .scratdi  across  tlu-m  with  his  s|)ear,  or  by  l)renking 
a  branch  and  laying  it  across :  in  this  way  those  wiio  lollow  are  able  to  avoid  stray- 
ing oH'  the  proper  road. — Ed. 

t  Ueleotruyus  vardonii. 


136 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


and  found  the  people  on  the  left  bank  uncivil :  they  would  not  lend 
a  hut,  so  we  soon  put  up  a  tent  of  water-proof  cloth  and  branches. 

December  18th.  —  As  the  men  grumbled  at  their  feet  being 
pierced  by  thorns  in  the  trackless  portions  we  had  passed,  I  was 
anxious  to  get  a  guide,  but  the  only  one  we  could  secure  would 
go  to  Molenga's  only ;  so  I  submitted,  though  this  led  us  east  in- 
stead of  north.  When  we  arrived  we  were  asked  what  we  want- 
ed, seeing  we  brought  neither  slaves  nor  ivory :  I  replied  it  was 
much  against  our  will  that  we  came;  but  the  guide  had  declared 
that  this  was  the  only  way  to  Casembe's,  our  next  stage.  To 
get  rid  of  us,  they  gave  a  guide,  and  we  set  forward  northward. 
The  Mopane  forest  is  perfectly  level,  and  after  rains  the  water 
stands  in  pools ;  but  during  most  of  the  year  it  is  dry.  The  trees 
here  were  very  large,  and  planted  some  twenty  or  thirty  yards 
apart:  as  there  are  no  branches  on  their  lower  parts,  animals  see 
very  far.  I  shot  a  gnu,  but  wandered  in  coming  back  to  the 
party,  and  did  not  find  them  till  it  was  getting  dark.  Many 
parts  of  the  plain  are  thrown  up  into  heaps  of  about  the  size  of 
one's  cap  (probably  by  crabs),  which  now,  being  hard,  are  diffi- 
cult to  walk  over;  under  the  trees  it  is  perfectly  smooth.  The 
mopane -tree  furnishes  the  iron -wood  of  the  Portuguese  Pao 
Ferro:  it  is  pretty  to  travel  in  and  look  at  the  bright  sunshine 
of  early  morning;  but  the  leaves  hang  perpendicularly  as  the  sun 
rises  high,  and  afford  little  or  no  shade  through  the  day;*  so,  as 
the  land  is  clayey,  it  becomes  hard-baked  thereby. 

We  observed  that  the  people  had  placed  corn-granaries  at  dif- 
ferent parts  of  this  forest,  and  had  been  careful  to  leave  no  track 
to  them — a  provision  in  case  of  further  visits  of  Mazitu.  King- 
hnntersf  abound,  and  make  the  air  resound  with  their  strid ulcus 
notes,  which  commence  with  a  sharp,  shrill  cheep,  and  then  fol- 
lows a  succession  of  notes,  which  resembles  a  pea  in  a  whistle. 
Another  bird  is  particularly  conspicuous  at  present  by  its  chat- 
tering activity :  its  nest  consists  of  a  bundle  of  fine  seed-stalks 
of  grass  hung  at  the  end  of  a  branch,  the  free  ends  being  left 
untrimmcd,  and  no  attempt  at  concealment  made.  Man}'  other 
birds  are  now  active,  and  so  many  new  notes  are  heard,  that  it  is 
I)robiiblc  this  is  a  richer  ornithological  region  than  the  Zambesi. 
Guinea-fowl  and  francolins  are  in  abundance,  and  so  indeed  are 
all  the  other  kinds  of  game,  as  zebras,  pallahs,  gnus. 

♦  The  tamarind  does  the  same  tiling  in  tlie  heat  of  tlie  day. 

t  A  Kpccies  of  kingfisher,  wliieh  stands  flapping  its  wings  and  attetni)ting  to  sing  in 
a  ridiculous  manner.  It  never  was  hettcr  dcseiibetl  than  by  one  observer  who,  after 
watching  it  through  its  jierforinance,  said  it  was  "a  toy-sho])py  bird." — Ed. 


WEAK  FMOM  HUNGER. 


137 


December  19th. — I  got  a  fine  male  kudu.  We  have  no  grain, 
and  live  on  meat  alone,  but  I  am  better  off  than  the  men,  inas- 
much as  I  get  a  little  goat's  milk  besides.  The  kudu  stood  five 
feet  six  inches  high ;  horns,  three  feet  on  the  straight. 

December  20th. — Reached  Casembe,*  a  miserable  hamlet  of  a 
few  huts.  The  people  here  are  very  suspicious,  and  will  do 
nothing  but  with  a  haggle  for  prepayment ;  we  could  get  no 
grain,  nor  even  native  herbs,  though  we  rested  a  day  to  try. 

After  a  short  march  we  came  to  the  Nyamazi, 'another  consid- 
erable rivulet  coming  from  the  north,  to  fall  into  the  Loangwa. 
It  has  the  same  character  of  steep  alluvial  banks  as  Pamazi,  and 
about  the  same  width,  but  much  shallower ;  loin  -  deep,  though 
somewhat  swollen ;  from  fifty  to  sixty  yards  wide.  We  came 
to  some  low  hills,  of  coarse  sandstone,  and  on  crossing  these  we 
could  see,  by  looking  back,  that  for  many  days  we  had  been  trav- 
eling over  a  perfectly  level  valley,  clothed  with  a  mantle  of  for- 
est. The  barometers  had  shown  no  difference  of  level  from  about 
eigliteen  hundred  feet  above  the  sea.  We  began  our  descent  into 
this  great  valley  when  we  left  the  source  of  the  Bua ;  and  now 
these  low  hills,  called  Ngale  or  Ngaloa,  though  only  one  hundred 
feet  or  so  above  the  level  we  had  left,  showed  that  we  had  come 
to  the  shore  of  an  ancient  lake,  which  probably  was  let  off  when 
the  rent  of  Kcbra-basa,  on  the  Zambesi,  was  made;  for  w^e  found 
immense  banks  of  well-rounded  shingle  above  —  or,  rather,  they 
may  be  called  mounds  of  shingle — all  of  hard  silicious  schist  with 
a  few  pieces  of  fossil -wood  among  them.  The  gullies  reveal  a 
stratum  of  this  well-rounded  shingle,  lying  on  a  soft  greenish 
sandstone,  which  again  lies  on  the  coarse  sandstone  first  observed. 
This  formation  is  identical  with  that  observed  formerly  below  the 
Victoria  Falls.  We  have  the  mountains  still  on  our  north  and 
north-west  (the  so-called  mountains  of  Bisa,  or  Babisa),  and  from 
them  the  Nyamazi  flows,  while  Pamazi  comes  round  the  end,  or 
what  appears  to  be  the  end,  of  the  higher  portion. 

Drceinber  22c?. — Shot  a  bush-buck;  and' slept  on  the  left  bank 
of  Nyamazi. 

December  2Bd. — Hunger  sent  us  on,  for  a  meat  diet  is  far  from 
satisfying:  we  all  felt  very  weak  on  it,  and  soon  tired  on  a  march; 
but  to-day  we  hurried  on  to  Kavimba,  who  successfully  beat  off 
the  Mazitu.  It  is  very  hot,  and  between  three  and  four  hours  is 
a  good  day's  march.  On  silting  down  to  rest  before  entering  the 
village,  we  were  observed,  and  all  the  force  of  the  village  issued 


*  Not  tlie  great  chief  nciir  Lake  Mocro  of  llie  same  nmiie. 


138 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


to  kill  us  as  Mazitu,  but  when  we  stood  up  the  mistake  was  read- 
ily perceived,  and  the  arrows  were  placed  again  in  their  quivers. 
In  the  hut  four  Mazitu  shields  show  that  they  did  not  get  it  all 
their  own  way  :  they  are  miserable  imitations  of  Zulu  shields, 
made  of  eland  and  water-buck's  hides,  and  ill  sewn. 

A  very  small  return  present  was  made  by  Kavimba,  and  noth- 
ing could  be  bought  except  at  exorbitant  prices.  We  remained 
all  day  on  the  24th,  haggling  and  trying  to  get  some  grain.  He 
took  a  fancy  to  a  shirt,  and  left  it  to  his  wife  to  bargain  for.  She 
got  the  length  of  cursing  and  swearing,  and  we  bore  it,  but  could 
get  only  a  small  price  for  it.  We  resolved  to  hold  our  Christ- 
mas some  other  da}^,  and  in  a  better  place.  The  women  seem  ill 
regulated  here.  Kavimba's  brother  had  words  with  his  spouse, 
and  at  the  end  of  ever}^  burst  of  vociferation  on  both  sides  called 
out,  "Bring  the  muave!  bring  the  muave!"'  or  ordeal. 

Christmas-day^  1866. — No  one  being  willing  to  guide  us  to 
Moerwa's,  I  hinted  to  Kavimba  that,  should  we  see  a  rhinoceros,  I 
would  kill  it.  He  came  himself,  and  led  us  on  where  he  expect- 
ed to  find  these  animals,  but  we  saw  only  their  footsteps.  We 
lost  our  four  goats  somewhere — stolen  or  strayed  in  the  pathless 
forest,  we  do  not  know  which,  but  the  loss  I  felt  very  keenly,  for 
whatever  kind  of  food  we  had,  a  little  milk  made  all  right,  and  I 
felt  strong  and  well ;  but  coarse  food,  hard  of  digestion  without 
it,  was  very  trying.  We  spent  the  26th  in  searching  for  them, 
but  all  in  vain.  Kavimba  had  a  boy  carrying  two  huge  elephant- 
spears;  with  these  he  attacks  that  large  animal  single-handed. 
We  parted  from  him,  as  I  thought,  good  friends;  but  a  man  who 
volunteered  to  act  as  guide  saw  him  in  the  forest  afterward,  and 
was  counseled  by  him  to  leave  us,  as  we  should  not  pay  him. 
This  hovering  near  us  after  we  parted  makes  me  suspect  Kavim- 
ba of  taking  the  goats,  but  I  am  not  certaiJi.  The  loss  affected 
me  more  than  I  could  have  imagined.  A  little  indigestible  por- 
ridge, of  scarcely  any  taste,  is  now  ray  lare,  and  it  makes  me 
dream  of  better. 

December  11th. — Our  guide  asked  for  his  clotli  to  wear  on  the 
way,  as  it  was  wet  and  raining,  and  his  bark-cloth  was  a  miser- 
able covering.  I  consented,  and  he  bolted  on  the  first  opportu- 
nity; the  forest  being  so  dense,  he  was  soon  out  of  reach  of  pur- 
suit. He  had  been  advised  to  this  by  Kavimba,  and  nothing 
else  need  have  been  expected.  We  then  followed  the  track  of  a 
traveling  party  of  Babisa,  but  the  grass  springs  up  over  the  paths, 
and  it  was  soon  lost:  the  rain  had  fallen  early  in  these  ]>arts,  and 
the  grass  was  all  in  seed.    In  the  afternoon  we  came  to  the  hills 


HOXEY-HVNTEES. 


139 


in  tbe  north  where  Nyamazi  rises,  and  went  up  the  bed  of  a  riv- 
ulet for  some  time,  and  then  ascended  out  of  the  valley.  Al  the 
bottom  of  the  ascent  and  in  the  rivulet  the  shingle  stratum  was 
sometimes  fifty  feet  thick  ;  then,  as  we  ascended,  we  met  mica 
schist  tilted  on  edge,  then  gray  gneiss,  and  last  an  igneous  trap 
among  quartz  rocks,  with  a  great  deal  of  bright  mica  and  talc  in 
them.  On  resting  near  the  top  of  the  first  ascent  two  honey- 
hunters  came  to  us.  They  were  using  the  honey -guide  as  an 
aid.  The  bird  came  to  us  as  they  arrived,  waited  quietly  during 
the  half-hour  they  smoked  and  chatted,  and  then  went  on  with 
them.* 

The  tsetse  flies,  which  were  very  numerous  at  the  bottom,  came 
up  the  ascent  with  us,  but  as  we  increased  our  altitude  by  another 
thousand  feet  they  gradually  dropped  off  and  left  us:  only  one 
remained  in  the  evening,  and  he  seemed  out  of  spirits.  Near 
sunset  we  encamped  by  water  on  the  cool  height,  and  made  our 
shelters  with  boughs  of  leafy  trees:  mine  was  rendered  perfect 
by  Dr.  Stenhouse's  invaluable  patent  cloth,  which  is  very  supe- 
rior to  mackintosh :  indeed  the  India-rubber  cloth  is  not  to  be 
named  in  the  same  day  with  it. 

Decenther  28lh. — Three  men,  going  to  hunt  bees,  came  to  us  as 
we  were  starting,  and  assured  us  that  Moerwa's  was  near.  The 
first  party  had  told  us  the  same  thing,  and  so  often  have  we  gone 
long  distances  as  '-^jo/w/fi"  (near),  when  in  reality  they  were 
"patarV  (far),  that  we  begin  to  think  ^^a/o;)?."  means  "I  wish  you 
to  go  there,"  and  patari  the  reverse.  In  this  case  near  meant  an 
hour  and  three-quarters  from  our  sleeping-place  to  Moerwa's! 

When  we  look  back  from  the  height  to  which  we  have  ascend- 
ed we  see  a  great  plain  clothed  with  dark  green  forest,  except  at 
the  line  of  yellowish  grass,  where  probably  the  Loangwa  flows. 
On  the  east  and  south-east  this  plain  is  bounded  at  the  extreme 
range  of  our  vision  by  a  wall  of  dim  blue  mountains  forty  or  fifty 
miles  off.  The  Loangwa  is  said  to  rise  in  the  Cliibale  country 
due  north  of  this  ^[alambvvc  (in  which  district  Moerwa's  village 
is  situated),  and  to  flow  south  -  east,  then  round  to  where  we 
found  it. 

Mocrwa  came  to  visit  me  in  my  hut — a  rather  stupid  man, 
though  he  has  a  well -shaped  and  well -developed  forehead — and 
tried  the  usual  little  arts  of  getting  us  to  buy  all  we  need  here, 

•  This  extrnordinnry  bird  flies  from  tree  to  tree  in  front  of  the  hunter,  chirruping 
lotidly,  and  will  not  he  content  till  he  iin  ivc>t  at  tlio  s]iot  whoro  the  liees'-nest  is  ;  it 
then  waits  quietly  till  the  honey  is  taken,  und  feeds  on  the  broken  morsels  of  comb 
whiih  fall  to  its  share. 


140 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOVBXALS. 


though  the  prices  are  exorbitant.  "  No  people  in  front,  great 
hunger  there."  "We  must  buy  food  here,  and  carry  it  to  sup- 
port us."  On  asking  the  names  of  the  next  head  men,  he  would 
not  inform  me,  till  I  told  him  to  try  and  speak  like  a  man ;  he 
then  told  us  that  the  first  Lobemba  chief  was  Motuna,  and  the 
next  Chafuuga.  We  have  nothing,  as  we  saw  no  animals  in  our 
way  hither,  and  hunger  is  ill  to  bear.  By  giving  Moerwa  a  good 
large  cloth  he  was  induced  to  cook  a  mess  of  maere,  or  millet,  and 
elephant's  .<=tomach.  It  was  so  good  to  get  a  full  meal  that  I  could 
have  given  him  another  cloth,  and  the  more  so  as  it  was  accom- 
panied by  a  message  that  he  would  cook  more  next  day  and  in 
larger  quantity.  On  inquiring  next  evening,  he  said  "  The  man 
had  told  lies,"  he  had  cooked  nothing  more:  he  was  prone  to  lie 
himself,  and  was  a  rather  bad  specimen  of  a  chief. 

The  Babisa  have  round  bullet  heads,  snub  -  noses,  often  high 
cheek-bones,  an  upward  slant  of  the  eyes,  and  look  as  if  they  had 
a  lot  of  Bushman  blood  in  them,  and  a  good  many  would  pass  for 
Bushmen  or  Hottentots.  Both  Babisa  and  Waiyau  may  have  a 
mixture  of  the  race,  which  would  account  for  their  roving  habits. 
The  women  liave  the  fashion  of  exposing  the  upper  part  of  the 
buttocks  by  letting  a  very  stiff  cloth  fall  down  behind.  Their 
teeth  are  filed  to  points:  they  wear  no  lip -ring,  and  the  hair  is 
parted  so  as  to  lie  in  a  net  at  the  back  part  of  the  head.  The 
mode  of  salutation  among  the  men  is  to  lie  down  nearly  on  the 
back,  clapping  the  hands,  and  making  a  rather  inelegant  half- 
kissing  sound  with  the  lips. 

Dectuther  29(h. — We  remain  a  day  at  Malambwd,  but  get  noth- 
ing save  a  little  maere,*  which  grates  in  the  teeth  and  in  the 
stomach.  To  prevent  the  Mazitu  starving  them,  they  cultivate 
small  round  patches  placed  at  wide  intervals  in  the  forest,  with 
which  the  country  is  covered.  The  spot,  some  ten  j'ards  or  a  lit- 
tle more  in  diameter,  is  manured  with  ashes  and  planted  with  this 
millet  and  pumpkins,  in  order  that,  should  Mazitu  come,  they 
may  be  unable  to  carry  off  the  pumpkins,  or  gather  the  millet,  the 
seed  of  which  is  very  small.  They  have  no  more  valor  than  the 
other  Africans,  but  more  craft,  and  are  much  given  to  falsehood. 
They  will  not  answer  common  questions  except  by  misstatements; 
but  this  may  arise  in  our  case  from  our  being  in  disfavor,  because 
we  will  not  sell  all  our  goods  to  them  for  ivory. 

Decnnhrr  30///. — Marched  fjr  Cliitcmba's,  because  it  is  said  he 
has  not  fled  from  the  Mazitu,  and  therefore  has  food  to  spare. 


•  Eleusine  curacana. 


BIRDS,  FLOWEES,  AND  FRUITS. 


141 


While  resting,  Moerwa,  with  all  his  force  of  men,  women,  and 
dogs,  came  up,  on  his  way  to  hunt  elephants.  The  men  were 
furnished  with  big  spears,  and  their  dogs  are  used  to  engage  the 
animal's  attention  while  they  spear  it ;  the  women  cook  the  meat 
and  make  huts,  and  a  smith  goes  with  them  to  mend  any  spear 
that  may  be  broken. 

We  pass  over  level  plateaus  on  which  the  roads  are  wisely  placed, 
and  do  not  feel  that  we  are  traveling  in  a  mountainous  region. 
It  is  all  covered  with  dense  forest,  which  in  many  cases  is  pol- 
larded, from  being  cut  for  bark-cloth  or  for  hunting  purposes. 
Masuko  fruit  abounds.  From  the  cisalpine  and  guin-copal-trees 
bark-cloth  is  made. 

We  now  come  to  large  masses  of  hematite,  which  is  often  fer- 
ruginous :  there  is  conglomerate  too,  many  quartz  pebbles  being 
intermixed.  It  seems  as  if  when  the  lakes  existed  in  the  lower 
lands,  the  higher  levels  gave  forth  great  quantities  of  water  from 
chalybeate  fountains,  which  deposited  this  iron  ore.  Gray  granite, 
or  quartz  with  talc  in  it,  or  gneiss  lie  under  the  hematite. 

The  forest  resounds  with  singing  birds,  intent  on  nidification. 
Francolins  abound,  but  are  wild.  "Whip-poor-wills,"  and  an- 
other bird,  which  has  a  more  labored  treble  note  and  voice: 
"Oh,  ho,  ho!"  Ga}'^  flowers  blush  unseen,  but  the  people  have 
a  good  idea  of  what  is  eatable  and  what  not.  I  looked  at  a 
woman's  basket  of  leaves  which  she  had  collected  for  supper,  and 
it  contained  eight  or  ten  kinds,  with  mushrooms  and  orcliidaceous 
flowers.  We  have  a  succession  of  showers  to-day,  from  north-east 
and  east-north -east.  We  are  uncertain  when  we  shall  come  to  a 
village,  as  the  Babisa  will  not  tell  us  where  they  are  situated.  In 
the  evening  we  encamped  beside  a  little  rill,  and  made  our  shel- 
ters; but  we  had  so  little  to  cat  that  I  dreamed  the  night  long  of 
dinners  I  had  eaten,  and  might  have  been  eating. 

I  shall  make  this  beautiful  land  better  known,  which  is  an  es- 
sential part  of  the  jirocess  by  which  it  will  become  the  "  plea.sant 
haunts  of  men."  It  is  impossible  to  describe  its  rich  luxuriance, 
but  most  of  it  is  running  to  waste  through  the  slave-trade  and  in- 
ternal wars. 

December  31s/. — When  we  started  this  morning,  after  rain,  all 
the  trees  and  grass  dri])ping,  a  lion  roared,  but  we  did  not  see  him. 
A  woman  luul  come  a  long  way,  and  built  a  neat  miniature  hut 
in  the  burned-out  ruins  of  her  mother's  house  :  the  food-olforing 
she  placed  in  it,  and  tlie  act  of  filial  piety,  no  doubt  comforted 
this  poor  mourner's  heart. 

We  arrived  at  Chilcinbo's  village,  and  found  il  (Icscrted.  'J'lie 

10 


142 


LiriXGSTOXE'S.  LAST  JOUIiXALS. 


Babisa  dismantle  theii'  huts  and  carry  off  the  thatch  to  their  gar- 
dens, where  they  live  till  harvest  is  over.  This  fallowing  of  the 
frame-work  destroys  many  insects,  but  we  observed  that  wher- 
ever Babisa  and  Arab  slavers  go,  they  leave  the  breed  of  the  do- 
mestic bug:  it  would  be  well  if  that  w^ere  all  the  ill  they  did! 
Chitembo  was  working  in  his  garden  when  we  arrived,  but  soon 
came,  and  gave  us  the  choice  of  all  the  standing  huts :  he  is  an 
old  man,  much  more  frank  and  truthful  than  our  last  head  man, 
and  says  that  Chitapanga  is  paramount  chief  of  all  the  Abemba. 

Three  or  four  women  whom  we  saw  performing  a  rain  dance 
at  Moerwa's  were  here  doing  the  same,  their  faces  smeared  with 
meal,  and  axes  in  their  hands,  imitating  as  well  as  they  could  the 
male  voice.    I  got  some  niaere,  or  millet,  here  and  a  fowl. 

We  now  end  1866.  It  has  not  been  so  fruitful  or  useful  as  I 
intended.  Will  try  to  do  better  in  1867,  and  be  better — more 
gentle  and  loving;  and  may  the  Almighty,  to  whom  I  commit 
my  way,  bring  my  desires  to  pass,  and  prosper  me!  Let  all  the 
sins  of  '66  be  blotted  out  for  Jesus's  sake  ! 

75-  * 

Januanj  1st,  1867. — May  He  who  was  full  of  grace  and  truth, 
impress  His  character  on  mine.  Grace — eagerness  to  show  fa- 
vor; truth — truthfulness,  sincerity,  honor — for  His  mercy's  sake. 

We  remain  to-day  at  Mbulukuta-Chitembo's  district,  by  the 
boys'  desire,  because  it  is  New-year's-day,  and  also  because  we 
can  get  some  food. 

January  2(7,  Sd. — Remain  on  account  of  a  threatened  sel-iit. 
rain.  Bought  a  &Qnz6  {Aidocaudatus  swinderiiiamis),  a  rat-looking 
animal ;  but  I  was  glad  to  get  any  thing  in  the  sliape  of  meat. 

Januarij  4:th. — It  is  a  set-in  rain.  The  boiling-point  thermome- 
ter shows  an  altitude  of  3565  feet  above  the  sea  ;  barometer,  8983 
feet  ditto.  We  get  a  little  maere  here,  and  prefer  it  to  being 
drenched  and  our  goods  spoiled.  We  have  neither  sugar  nor 
salt,  so  there  are  no  soluble  goods;  but  cloth  and  gun})Owder  get 
damaged  easily.  It  is  hard  fare  and  scanty;  I  feel  always  hun- 
gry, and  am  constantly  dreaming  of  better  food  when  I  should 
be  sleeping.  Savory  viands  of  former  times  come  vividly  up  be- 
fore the  imagination,  even  in  my  waking  hours:  this  is  rather 
odd,  as  I  am  not  a  dreamer;  indeed  I  scarcely  ever  dream  but 
when  I  am  going  to  be  ill  or  actually  so.* 

*  It  may  not  be  nltogether  without  interest  to  stnte  that  Livingstone  could  full 
nsleop  wlicn-  lio  wished  nt  the  very  shortest  notice.  A  innt,  and  ii  siiady  tree  uiuiev 
which  to  s|)ron(l  it,  woidd  nt  any  time  ntl'ord  liini  ix  relVesliiiig  sloej),  and  this  liicMilty 
no  doid)l  c'onli  iliMli'd  iniicii  to  liis  f^reat  j)o\vers  of  endiiraneo. — Kl). 


ANOTHER 


CHUBLISH  HEAD  MAN. 


143 


We  are  on  the  northern  brim  (or  north-western  rather)  of  the 
great  Loangwa  Valley  we  lately  crossed:  the  rain  coming  from 
the  east  strikes  it,  and  is  deposited  both  above  and  below,  while 
much  of  the  valley  itself  is  not  yet  well  wetted.  Here  all  the 
grasses  have  run  up  to  seed,  and  yet  they  are  not  more  than  two 
feet  or  so  in  the  seed-stalks.  The  pasturage  is  very  fine.  The 
people  employ  these  continuous  or  set-in  rains  for  hunting  the 
elephant,  which  gets  bogged,  and  sinks  in  from  fifteen  to  eighteen 
inches  in  soft  mud;  then  even  he,  the  strong  one,  feels  it  difficult 
to  escape.* 

January  bth. — Still  storm-stayed.  We  shall  be  off  as  soon  as 
we  get  a  fair  day  and  these  heavy  rains  cease. 

January  6th. — After  service  two  men  came  and  said  that  they 
were  going  to  Lobemba,  and  would  guide  us  to  Motuna's  village; 
another  came  a  day  or  two  ago,  but  he  had  such  a  villainous  look 
we  all  shrank  from  him.  These  men's  faces  pleased  us,  but  they 
did  not  turn  out  all  we  expected,  for  they  guided  us  away  west- 
ward without  a  path.  It  was  a  drizzling  rain,  and  this  made  us 
averse  to  striking  off  in  the  forest  without  them.  No  inhabitants 
now  except  at  wide  intervals,  and  no  other  animals 'either.  In 
the  afternoon  we  came  to  a  deep  ravine  full  of  gigantic  timber- 
trees  and  bamboos,  with  the  Mavoche  Eiver  at  the  bottom.  The 
dampness  bad  caused  the  growth  of  lichens  all  over  the  trees, 
and  the  steep  descent  was  so  slippery  that  two  boys  fell,  and  he 
who  carried  the  chronometers,  twice:  this  was  a  misfortune,  as 
it  altered  the  rates,  as  was  seen  by  the  first  comparison  of  them 
together  in  the  evening.  No  food  at  Motuna's  village,  yet  the 
head  man  tried  to  extort  two  fathoms  of  calico  on  the  gi  ound  that 
he  was  owner  of  the  country  :  we  offered  to  go  out  of  his  village, 
and  make  our  own  sheds  on  "God's  land,"  that  is,  where  it  is  un- 
cultivated, rather  than  have  any  words  about  it:  he  then  begged 
us  to  stay.  A  very  high  mountain  called  Chikokwe  appeared 
west-south-west  from  this  village;  the  people  who  live  on  it  are 
called  Matumba;  this  part  is  named  Lokumbi;  but  wliatever  the 
name,  all  the  people  are  Rabisa,  the  dependents  of  the  Babcmba, 
reduced  by  their  own  slaving  habits  to  a  miserable  jungly  state. 
They  feed  much  on  wild  fruits,  roots,  and  leaves;  and  yet  are 
generally  plump.  They  use  a  wooden  hoe  for  sowing  tlunr  inai-rc. 
It  is  a  sort  of  V-shaj)cd  implement,  made  from  a  branch  with  an- 
other springing  out  of  it,  about  an  inch  in  diameter  at  the  sharp 

*  When  tlio  cli'pliant  becomes  confused  by  tbe  yelping  jmck  of  dogs  wilb  which  he 
is  HniTonndcd,  tlie  hnntcr  Ktenlthily  iipprouciies  behind,  and  witli  one  l)h)\v  of  a  s\m\  \> 
iixe  hamstrings  tlic  iiiige  beast. — Ei>. 


144 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


point,  and  witli  it  they  claw  the  soil  after  scattering  the  seed. 
About  a  dozen  young  men  were  so  employed  iu  the  usual  small 
patches  as  we  passed  in  the  morning.. 

The  country  now  exhibits  the  extreme  of  leafiness,  and  the  un- 
dulations are  masses  of  green  leaves.  As  far  as  the  eye  can  reach 
with  distinctness,  it  rests  on  a  mantle  of  that  hue,  and  beyond  the 
scene  becomes  dark  blue.  Near  at  hand  many  gay  flowers  peep 
out.  Here  and  there  the  scarlet  martagon  {Lilium  chalcedonicum), 
bright  blue  or  yellow  gingers ;  red,  orange,  yellow,  and  pure  white 
orchids ;  pale  lobelias,  etc. ;  but  they  do  not  mar  the  general  green- 
ness. As  we  ascended  higher  on  the  plateau,  grasses  which  have 
pink  and  reddish-brown  seed-vessels  imparted  distinct  shades  of 
their  colors  to  the  lawns,  and  were  grateful  to  the  eye.  We  turn- 
ed aside  early  in  our  march  to  avoid  being  wetted  by  rains,  and 
took  shelter  in  some  old  Babisa  sheds.  These,  when  the  party 
is  a  slaving  one,  are  built  so  as  to  form  a  circle,  with  but  one 
opening.  A  ridge-pole,  or  rather  a  succession  of  ridge-poles, 
form  one  long  shed  all  round,  with  no  partitions  in  the  roof- 
shaped  hut. 

On  the  9th  of  January  we  ascended  a  hardened  sandstone 
range.  Two  men  who  accompanied  our  guide  called  out  every 
now  and  then  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  honey-guide,  but 
none  appeared.  A  water-buck  had  been  killed  and  eaten  at  one 
spot,  the  ground  sliowing  marks  of  a  severe  struggle,  but  no  game 
was  to  be  seen.  Buffiilocs  and  elephants  come  here  at  certain  sea- 
sons; at  present  they  have  migrated  elsewhere.  The  valleys  are 
very  beautiful.  The  oozes  are  covered  with  a  species  of  short 
wiry  grass,  which  gives  the  valleys  the  appearance  of  well-kept 
gentlemen's  parks;  Dut  they  are  full  of  water  to  overflowing — • 
immense  sponges,  in  fact;  and  one  has  to  watch  carefully  in  cross- 
ing them  to  avoid  plunging  into  deep  water-holes,  made  by  the 
feet  of  elephants  or  buffaloes.  In  the  ooze  generally  the  water 
comes  half-way  up  the  shoe,  and  we  go  plash,  plash,  plasl?,  in  the 
lawn-like  glade.  There  are  no  people  here  now  in  these  lovely 
wild  valleys ;  but  to-day  we  came  to  mound.s  made  of  old  for 
planting  grain,  and  slag  from  iron  furnaces.  The  guide  was 
rather  offended  because  he  did  not  get  meat  and  meal,  though i 
he  is  accustomed  to  leaves  at  Jiome,  and  we  liad  none  to  give  ex- 
cept by  wanting  ourselves:  he  found  a  mess  without  much  labor 
in  the  forest.  My  stock  of  meal  came  to  an  end  to-day,  but  Si- 
mon gave  me  some  of  liis.  It  is  not  the  unpleasantness  of  eating 
unpalatable  food  that  tea-scs  one,  but  wc  are  never  satisfied.  I 
could  brace  myself  to  dispose  of  a  very  unsavory  mess,  and  think 


A  COBRA  CAPELLO. 


145 


no  more  about  it;  but  this  maere  engenders  a  craving  wLich 
plagues  day  and  night  incessantly. 

Januarij  10th. — We  crossed  the  Muasi,  flowing  strongly  to  the 
east,  to  the  Loangwa  Kiver. 

In  the  afternoon  an  excessively  heavy  thunder-storm  wetted 
us  all  to  the  skin  before  any  shelter  could  be  made.  Two  of  our 
men  wandered,  and  other  two  remained  behind  lost,  as  our  track 
was  washed  out  by  the  rains.  The  country  is  a  succession  of 
enormous  waves,  all  covered  with  jungle,  and  no  traces  of  paths. 
We  were  in  a  hollow,  and  our  firing  was  not  heard  till  this  morn- 
ing, when  we  ascended  a  height,  and  were  answered.  I  am  thank- 
ful that  no  one  was  lost,  for  a  man  might  wander  a  long  time  be- 
fore reaching  a  village.  Simon  gave  me  a  little  more  of  his  meal 
this  morning,  and  went  without  himself  I  took  my  belt  up  three 
holes  to  relieve  hunger.  We  got  some  wretched  wild  fruit  like 
that  called  "jambos"  in  India,  and  at  midday  reached  the  village 
of  Chafunga.  Famine  here  too,  but  some  men  had  killed  an  ele- 
phant, and  came  to  sell  the  dried  meat:  it  was  high,  and  so  were 
their  prices;  but  we  arQ  obliged  to  give  our  best  from  this  craving 
hunger. 

Januarij  12tJi.  —  Sitting  down  this  morning  near  a  tree,  my 
head  was  just  one  yard  off  a  good-sized  cobra,  coiled  up  in  the 
sprouts  at  its  root,  but  it  was  benumbed  with  cold  :  a  very  pretty 
little  puff-adder  lay  in  the  path,  also  benumbed.  It  is  seldom 
that  any  harm  is  done  by  these  reptiles  here,  although  it  is  differ- 
ent in  India.  We  bought  up  all  the  food  we  couild  get;  but  it 
did  not  suffice  for  the  marches  we  expect  to  make  to  get  to  the 
Chambeze,  wlicre  food  is  said  to  be  abundant;  we  were  therefore 
again  obliged  to  travel  on  Sunday.  We  had  prayers  before  start- 
ing; but  I  always  feel  that  I  am  not  doing  right:  it  lessens  the 
sense  of  obligation  in  the  minds  of  my  companions;  but  I  have 
no  choice.  We  went  along  a  rivulet  till  it  ended  in  a  small  lake, 
Mapampa  or  Chimbwe,  about  five  miles  long,  and  one  and  a  half 
broad.    It  had  hippopotami,  and  the  pokn  fed  on  its  banks. 

Juniiarij  Ibtli. — We  had  to  cross  the  Chimbwe  at  its  eastern 
end,  where  it  is  fully  a  mile  wide.  The  guide  rcfu.sed  to  show 
another  and  narrower  ford  up  the  stream,  which  emptied  into  it 
from  the  cast;  and  I,  being  the  first  to  cros.«,  neglected  to  give 
orders  about  the  poor  little  dog,  Chitanc.  The  wati-r  was  waist- 
deep,  the  bottom  soft  peaty  stuff  with  deep  holes  in  it,  and  the 
northern  side  infested  by  leeches.  The  boys  wore — like  myself 
— all  too  much  engaged  with  preserving  their  balance^  to  think 
of  the  spiriletl  lilllc  beast,  and  he  must  have  swam  till  he  sunk. 


146 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


He  was  so  useful  in  keeping  all  the  country  curs  off  our  huts; 
none  dare  to  approach  and  steal,  and  he  never  stole  himself.  He 
shared  the  staring  of  the  people  with  his  master;  then  in  the 
march  he  took  charge  of  the  whole  party,  running  to  the  front, 
and  again  to  the  rear,  to  see. that  all  was  right.  He  was  becom- 
ing yellowish-red  in  color;  and,  poor  thing,  perished  in  what  the 
boys  all  call  Chitane's  water. 

January  16ih.  —  March  through  the  mountains,  which  are  of 
beautiful  white  and  pink. dolomite,  scantily  covered  with  upland 
trees  and  vegetation.  The  rain,  as  usual,  made  us  halt  early,  and 
wild  fruits  helped  to  induce  us  to  stay. 

In  one  place  we  lighted  on  a  party  of  people  living  on  masuko 
fruit,  and  making  mats  of  the  Shuare'^  palm  petioles.  We  have 
hard  lines  ourselves;  nothing  but  a  little  maere  porridge  and 
dampers.  "We  roast  a  little  grain  and  boil  it,  to  make  believe  it 
is  colfee.  The  guide,  a  maundering  fellow,  turned  because  he 
was  not  fed  better  than  at  home,  and  because  he  knew  that  but 
for  his  obstinacy  we  should  not  have  lost  the  dog.  It  is  needless 
to  repeat  that  it  is  all  forest  on  the  northern  slopes  of  the  mount- 
ains— open  glade  and  miles  of  forest ;  ground  at  present  all  slop- 
py; oo.zes  full  and  overflowing — feet  constantly  wet.  Rivulets 
rush  strongly  with  dear  water,  though  they  are  in  flood :  we  can 
guess  which  are  perennial  and  which  mere  torrents  that  dry  up; 
they  flow  northward  and  westward  to  the  Chambeze. 

January  17th. — Detained  in  an  old  Babisa  slaving  encamp- 
ment by  set- in  rain  till  noon,  then  set  off  in  the  midst  of  it. 
Came  to  hills  of  dolomite,  but  all  the  rocks  were  covered  with 
white  lichens  (ash-colored).  The  path  took  us  thence  along  a 
ridge,  which  separates  the  Lotiri,  running  westward,  and  the 
Lobo,  going  northward,  and  we  came  at  length  to  the  Lobo,  trav- 
eling along  its  banks  till  we  reached  the  village  called  Lisunga, 
which  was  about  five  yards  broad,  and  very  deep,  in  flood,  with 
clear  water,  as  indeed  are  all  the  rivulets  now;  tho}''  can  only  be 
crossed  by  felling  a  tree  on  tlie  bank  and. letting  it  fall  across. 
They  do  not  abrade  their  banks — vegetation  protects  them.  I 
observed  that  the  brown  ibis,  a  noisy  bird,  took  care  to  restrain 
his  loud,  harsh  voice  when  driven  from  the  tree  in  which  his  nest 
was  placed,  and  when  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  off,  then  com- 
menced his  loud  "Ila-ha-ha!" 

January  18th. — The  head  man  of  Lisunga,  Chaokila,  took  our 
present,  and  gave  nothing  in  return.    A  deputy  from  Chitapang- 


♦  Kaiiliia. 


VARIETIES  OF  THE  MUSHROOM. 


147 


wa  came  afterward  and  demanded  a  larger  present,  as  he  was  the 
greater  man  ;  and  said  that  if  we  gave  bim  two  fathoms  of  calico, 
he  would  order  all  the  people  to  bring  plenty  of  food,  not  here 
only,  but  all  the  way  to  the  paramount  chief  of  Lobemba,  Chita- 
pangwa.  I  proposed  that  he  should  begin  by  ordering  Chaokila 
to  give  us  some  in  return  for  our  present.  This  led,  as  Chaokila 
told  us,  to  the  cloth  being  delivered  to  the  deputy,  and  we  saw 
that  all  the  starvelings  south  of  the  Chambezc  were  poor  depend- 
I  ents  on  the  Babemba,  or  rather  their  slaves,  who  cultivate  little, 
and  then  only  in  the  rounded  patches  above  mentioned,  so  as  to 
prevent  their  conquerors  from  taking  away  more  than  a  small 
share.  The  subjects  are  Babisa — a  miserable  lying  lot  of  serfs. 
This  tribe  is  engaged  in  the  slave-trade,  and  the  evil  effects  are 
seen  in  their  depopulated  country  and  utter  distrust  of  every 
one.  ^ 

January  19(h.  —  Raining  most  of  the  day.  Worked  out  the 
longitude  of  the  mountain-station  said  to  be  Mpini,  but  it  will  be 
better  to  name  it  Chitane's,  as  I  could  not  get  the  name  from  our 
maundering  guide;  he  probably  did  not  know  it.  Lat.  11°  9'  2" 
S. ;  long.  32°  1'  30"  E.  Altitude  above  sea  (barometer),  5353 
feet;  altitude  above  sea  (boiling-point),  5385  feet.  Difference, 
32.* 

Nothing  but  famine  and  famine  prices,  the  people  living  on 
mushrooms  and  leaves.  Of  mushrooms  we  observed  that  thev 
choose  five  or  six  kinds,  and  rejected  ten  sorts.  One  species  be- 
comes as  large  as  the  crown  of  a  man's  hat;  it  is  pure  white,  with 
a  blush  of  brown  in  the  middle  of  the  crown,  and  is  very  good 
roasted;  it  is  named  "  motenta ;"  another,  mofeta ;  third,  bosef- 
w(?;  fourth,  nakabausa;  fifth,  chisimbe ;  lobulated,  green  outside, 
and  pink  and  fleshy  inside;  as  a  relish  to  others:  some  experi- 
ence must  have  been  requisite  to  enable  them  to  distinguish  the 
good  from  the  noxious,  of  which  they  reject  ten  sorts. 

Wg  get  some  elephants'  meat  from  the  people,  but  high  is  no 
name  for  its  condition.  It  is  very  bitter,  but  we  used  it  as  a  relish 
to  the  maerc  porridge.  None  of  the  animal  is  wasted;  skin  and 
all  is  cut  up  and  sokl.  Not  one  of  us  would  touch  it  with  the 
hand  if  we  had  aught  else,  for  the  gravy  in  which  we  dip  our 
porridge  is  lik(»  an  aqueous  .solution  of  aloes;  but  it  prevents  the 
heartburn,  which  ma(;re  causes  when  taken  alone.  1  take  mush- 
rooms boiled  instead;  but  the  tneat  is  never  refused  when  we 
can  purchase  it,  as  it  seems  to  case  the  feeling  of  fatigue  which 


♦  'Vo])  of  inomiliiiii  (l)uroiiielci  )  (iG.'JS  feet. 


148 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


jungle  fruit  and  fare  engenders.  The  appetite  in  this  country  is 
always  very  keen,  and  makes  hunger  worse  to  bear:  the  want  of 
salt,  probably,  makes  the  gnawing  sensation  worse. 

[We  now  come  to  a  disaster  which  can  not  be  exaggerated  in  im- 
portance when  we  witness  its  after  effects  month  by  month  on  Dr. 
Livingstone.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  severity  of  his 
subsequent  illnesses  mainly  turned  upon  it,  and  it  is  hardly  too 
much  to  believe  that  his  constitution  from  this  time  was  steadi- 
ly sapped  by  the  effects  of  fever-poison  which  he  was  powerless 
to  counteract,  owing  to  the  want  of  quinine.  In  his  allusion  to 
Bishop  Mackenzie's  death,  we  have  only  a  further  confirmation 
of  the  one  rule  in  all  such  cases  which  must  be  followed,  or  the 
traveler  in  Africa  goes — not  with  his  life  in  his  hand,  but  in 
some  luckless  box,  put  in  the  charge  of  careless  servants.  Bishop 
Mackenzie  had  all  his  drugs  destroyed  by  the  upsetting  of  a  ca-.  * 
noe,  in  which  was  his  case  of  medicines,  and  in  a  moment  every 
thing  was  soaked  and  spoiled. 

It  can  not  be  too  strongly  urged  on  explorers  that  they  should 
divide  their  more  important  medicines  in  such  a  way  that  a  total 
Ims  shall  become  well-nigh  impossible.  Three  or  four  tin  can- 
isters containing  some  calomel,  Dover's  powder,  colocynth,  and, 
above  all,  a  supply  of  quinine,  can  be  distributed  in  different 
packages,  and  then,  if  a  mishap  occurs  similar  to  that  which  Liv- 
ingstone relates,  the  disaster  is  not  beyond  remedy.] 

Jamiarij  20(h. — A  guide  refused,  so  we  marched  without  one. 
The  two  Waiyau  who  joined  us  at  Kande's  village  now  deserted.  _ 
They  had  been  very  faithful  all  the  way,  and  took  our  part  in 
every  case.  Knowing  the  language  well,  they  were  extremely 
useful,  and  no  one  thought  that  they  would  desert,  for  the}'  were 
free  men  —  their  masters  had  been  killed  by  the  Mazitu  —  and 
this  circumstance,  and  their  uniform  good  conduct,  made  us  trust 
them  more  than  we  should  have  done  any  others  who  had  been 
slaves.  But  they  left  us  in  the  forest,  and  heavy  rain  came  on, 
which  obliterated  every  vestige  of  their  footsteps.  To  make  the 
loss  the  more  galling,  they  took  what  we  could  least  spare — the 
medicine-box,  which  they  would  only  throw  away  as  soon  as  they 
came  to  examine  their  booty.  One  of  these  deserters  exchanged 
his  load  that  morning  with  a  boy  called  Baraka,  who  had  charge 
of  the  medicine-box,  because  he  was  so  careful.  This  was  done, 
because  with  the  medicine -chest  were  packed  five  large  cloths 
and  all  Baraka's  clothing  and  bead.s,  of  which  he  was  very  care- 
ful. The  Waiyau  al.so  offered  to  carry  this  burden  a  stage  to 
help  Baraka,  while  ho  gave  his  own  load,  in  which  there  was  no 
cloth,  in  exchange.    The  forest  was  so  dense  and  high,  there  was 


.THE  MEDICINE- CHEST  STOLEN. 


149 


no  chance  of  getting  a  glimpse  of  the  fugitives,  who  took  all  the 
dishes,  a  large  box  of  powder,  the  flour  we  had  purchased  dearly 
to  help  us  as  far  as  the  Chambeze,  the  tools,  two  guns,  and  a 
cartridge-pouch  ;  but  the  medicine-chest  was  the  sorest  loss  of  all ! 
I  felt  as  if  I  had  now  received  the  sentence  of  death,  like  poor 
Bishop  Mackenzie. 

All  the  other  goods  I  had  divided,  in  case  of  loss  or  desertion, 
but  had  never  dreamed  of  losing  the  precious  quinine  and  other 
remedies;  other  losses  and  annoyances  I  felt  as  just  parts  of  that 
under-current  of  vexations  which  is  not  wanting  in  even  the 
smoothest  life,  and  certainly  not  worthy  of  being  moaned  over  in 
the  experience  of  an  explorer  anxious  to  benefit  a  country  and 
people,  but  this  loss  I  feel  most  keenly.  Every  thing  of  this 
kind  happens  by  the  permission  of  One  who  watches  over  us  with 
most  tender  care;  and  this  may  turn  out  for  the  best  by  taking 
away  a  source  of  suspicion  among  more  superstitious,  charm- 
dreading  people  farther  north.  I  meant  it  as  a  source  of  benefit 
to  my  party  and  to  the  heathen. 

We  returned  to  Lisunga,  and  got  two  men  off  to  go  back  to 
Chafunga's  village,  and  intercept  the  deserters  if  tliey  went  there; 
but  it  is  likely  that,  having  our  supply  of  flour,  they  will  give 
our  route  a  wide  berth  and  escape  altogether.  It  is  difficult  to 
say  from  the  heart,  "Thy  will  be  done;"  but  I  shqll  try.  These 
Waiyau  had  few  advantages.  Sold  into  slavery  in  early  life, 
tliey  were  in  the  worst  possible  school  for  learning  to  be  honest 
and  honorable;  they  behaved  well  for  a  long  time;  but,  having 
had  hard  and  scanty  fare  in  Lobisa,  wet  and  misery,  in  passing 
through  dripping  forests,  hungry  nights,  and  fatiguing  days,  their 
patience  must  have  been  worn  out,  and  they  had  no  sentiments 
of  honor,  or  at  least  none  so  strong  as  we  ought  to  have ;  they 
gave  way  to  the  temptation  which  their  good  conduct  had  led 
us  to  put  in  their  way.  Some  we  have  come  across  in  this  jour- 
ney seemed  born  essentially  mean  and  base — a  great  misfortune 
to  them  and  all  who  have  to  deal  with  them,  but  they  can  not  be 
so  blamablc  as  tho.sc  who  have  no  natural  tendency  to  meanness, 
and  whose  education  has  taught  them  to  abhor  it.  True ;  yet 
this  loss  of  the  medicine-box  gnaws  at  the  heart  terribly. 

JfUiJtco-// 2 !.<;<,  22r/.—Kcmained  at  Lisunga— raining  nearly  all 
day ;  and  we  bought  all  the  maere  the  chief  would  sell.  We  were 
now  forced  to  go  on,  and  made  for  the  next  village  to  buy  food. 
Want  of  food  and  rain  are  our  chief  difficulties  now;  more  rain 
falls  here  on  this  northern  slope  of  the  upland  than  elsewhere; 
clouds  come  up  from  the  north  and  pour  down  their  treasures 


150 


LiriXGSTOy^E'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


in  heavy  thunder-showers,  which  deluge  the  whole  country  south 
of  the  edge  of  the  plateau:  the  rain-clouds  come  from  the  west 
chief!)'-. 

January  23fZ.  —  A  march  of  five  and  three-quarter  hours 
brought  us  yesterday  to  a  village,  Chibanda's  stockade,  where 
"no  food"  was  the  case,  as  usual.  \Ye  crossed  a  good-sized  riv- 
ulet, the  Mapampa  (probably  ten  yards  wide),  dashing  along  to 
the  east;  all  the  rest  of  the  way  was  in  dark  forest.  I  sent  off 
the  boys  to  the  village  of  Muasi  to  buy  food ;  if  successful,  to- 
morrow we  march  for  the  Cbambezd,  on  the  other  side  of  which 
all  the  reports  agree  in  the  statement  that  tliere  plenty  of  food  is 
to  be  had.  We  all  feel  weak  and  easily  tired,  and  an  incessant 
hunger  teases  us ;  so  it  is  no  wonder  if  so  large  a  spaee  of  this 
paper  is  occupied  by  stomach  afiairs.  It  has  not  been  merely 
want  of  nice  dishes,  but  real  biting  hunger  and  faintness. 

January  2Wi.  —  Four  hours  through  unbroken,  dark  forest 
brought  us  to  the  Movushi,  which  here  is  a  sluggish  stream,  wind- 
ing through  and  filling  a  marshy  valley  a  mile  wide.  It  comes 
from  the  south-east,  and  falls  into  the  Ciiambezd,  about  2'  north 
of  our  encampment.  The  village  of  Moaba  is  on  the  east  side  of 
the  marshy  valley  of  the  Movuhi,  and  very  difficult  to  be  ap- 
proached, as  the  water  is  chin-deep  in  several  spots.  I  decided 
to  make  sheds,  on  the  west  side,  and  send  over  for  food,  which, 
thanks  to  the  Providence  which  watches  over  us,  we  found  at  last 
in  a  good  supply  of  macre  and  some  ground-nuts;  but  through 
all  this  upland  region  the  trees  yielding  bark-cloth,  or  nyanda, 
are  so  abundant  that  the  people  are  all  well  clothed  with  it,  and 
care  but  little  for  our  cloth.  Red  and  pink  beads  are  in  fashion, 
and  fortunately  we  have  red, 

[We  may  here  add  a  few  particulars  concerning  beads,  which 
form  such  an  important  item  of  currency  all  through  Africa. 
With  a  few  exceptions  they  are  all  manufactured  in  Venice. 
The  greatest  care  must  be  exercised,  or  the  traveler  —  ignorant 
of  the  prevailing  fashion  in  the  country  he  is  about  to  explore — 
finds  himself  with  an  accumulation  of  beads  of  no  more  value 
than  tokens  would  be  if  tendered  in  this  country  for  coin  of  the 
I'calm. 

Thanks  to  tlie  kindness  of  Messrs.  Levin  &  Co.,  tlie  bead  mer- 
chants, of  Bevis  Marks,  E.  C,  we  have  been  able  to  get  some 
idea  of  the  more  valuable  beads,  through  a  selection  made  by 
Susi  and  Chuma  in  their  warehouse.  The  Wai3'au  prefer  ex- 
ceedingly small  beads,  the  size  of  mustard-seed,  and  of  various 
colors,  but  they  must  be  opaque:  among  them  dull  white  chalk 
varieties,  called  "catcliokolo,   are  valuable,  besides  black  and 


BEAD  C  URRENCT.—"  CHISIMBA." 


151 


pink,  named,  respectively,  "bububu"  and  "  sekundereche,"  =  the 
"dregs  of  pombe."  One  red  bead,  of  various  sizes,  which  has 
a  wliite  centre,  is  always  valuable  in  every  part  of  Africa.  It 
is  called  "  samisarai "  by  the  Suahele,  "  chitakaraka"  by  the  Wai- 
yau,  "  mangazi,"=: "  blood,"  by  the  Nyassa,  and  was  found  pop- 
ular even  among  the  Manyutma,  under  the  name  of  "maso- 
kantussi,"  =  "  bird's  eyes."  While  speaking  of  this  distant  tribe, 
it  is  interesting  to  observe  that  one  peculiar  long  bead,  recognized 
as  common  in  the  Manyuema  land,  is  only  sent  to  the  West  Coast 
of  Africa,  and  never  to  the  East.  On  Chuma  pointing  to  it  as  a 
sort  found  at  the  extreme  limit  explored  by  Livingstone,  it  was 
at  once  seen  that  he  must  have  touched  that  part  of  Africa  which 
begins  to  be  within  the  reach  of  the  traders  in  the  Portuguese 
settlements.  "Machua  kanga,"=:"  guinea-fowl's  eyes,"  is  anoth- 
er popular  variety;  and  the  "  moiompio,"=:"  new  heart,"  a  large 
pale  blue  bead,  is  a  favorite  among  the  Wabisa;  but  by  far  the 
most  valuable  of  all  is  a  small  white  oblong  bead,  which,  when 
strung,  looks  like  the  joints  of  the  cane  root,  from  which  it  takes 
its  name,  "  salani,"  =  "  cane."  Susi  says  that  one  pound  weight  of 
these  beads  would  buy  a  tusk  of  ivory,  at  the  south  end  of  Tan- 
ganyika, so  big  that  u  strong  man  could  not  carry  it  more  than 
two  hours.] 

Jannnrij  2d/h. — Remain,  and  get  our  macre  ground  into  flour. 
.\[oaba  has  cattle,  sheep,  and  goats.  The  other  side  of  the  Cham- 
bez^  has  every  thing  in  still  greater  abundance;  so  we  may  re- 
(.'over  our  lost  flesh.  There  are  buffaloes  in  this  quarter,  but  we 
have  not  got  a  glimpse  of  any.  If  game  was  to  be  had,  I  should 
have  hunted ;  but  the  hopo  way  of  hunting  prevails,  and  we  pass 
miles  of  hedges  by  which  many  animals  must  have  perished.  In 
passing  through  the  forests,  it  is  surprising  to  sec  none  but  old 
footsteps  of  the  game ;  but  the  hopo  destruction  accounts  for  its 
absence.  When  the  hedges  are  burned,  then  the  manured  space 
is  planted  with  pumpkins  and  calabashes. 

I  observed  at  Cliibanda's  a  few  green  mushrooms,  which,  on 
being  peeled,  showed  a  pink,  fleshy  inside;  they  are  called  "chi- 
simba;"  and  only  one  or  two  arc  put  into  the  mortar,  in  wliich 
the  women  pound  the  other  kinds,  to  give  relish,  it  was  said,  to 
the  mass:  I  could  not  ascertain  what  properties  chisimba  liad 
when  taken  alone ;  but  mushroom  diet,  in  our  experience,  is 
good  only  for  producing  dreams  of  the  roast-beef  of  by-gone 
ilays.  The  saliva  runs  from  the  mouth  in  these  dreams,  and  the 
pillow  is  wot  with  it  in  the  mornings.  . 

These  Babi.sa  are  full  of  suspicion  ;  every  tiling  has  to  be  jiaid 
for,  accordingly,  in  advance,  and  we  found  that  giving  a  present 
to  a  chief  is  only  pulling  it  in  his  power  lo  cheat  us  out  of  a  sup- 


152 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


per.  They  give  nothing  to  eacli  other  for  nothing ;  and  if  this 
is  enlargement  of  mind  produced  by  commerce,  commend  me  to 
the  untrading  African ! 

Fish  now  appear  in  the  rivulets.  Higher  altitudes  have  only 
small  things,  not  worth  catching. 

An  owl  makes  the  woods  resound  by  night  and  early  morning 
■with  his  cries,  which,  .consist  of  a  loud,  double-initial  note,  and 
then  a  succession  of  lower  descending  notes.  Another  new  bird, 
or  at  least  new  to  me,  makes  the  forests  ring. 

When  the  vultures  see  us  making  our  sheds,  they  conclude 
that  we  have  killed  some  animal;  but  after  watching  a  while, 
and  seeing  no  meat,  they  depart.  This  is  suggestive  of  what 
other  things  prove,  that  it  is  only  by  sight  they  are  guided.* 

With  respect  to  the  native  head-dresses,  the  coloring  matter, 
"nkola,"  which  seems  to  be  cam-wood,  is  placed  as  an  ornament 
on  the  head,  and  some  is  put  on  the  bark-cloth  to  give  it  a  pleas- 
ant appearance.  The  tree,  when  cut,  is  burned  to  bring  out  the 
strong  color,  and  then,  when  it  is  developed,  the  wood  is  powdered. 

The  gum-copal-trees  now  pour  out  gum  where  wounded,  and  I 
have  seen  masses  of  it  fallen  on  the  ground. 

January  2Qth. — Went  northward  along  the  Movushi,  hear  to 
its  confluence  with  Chambezd,  and  then  took  lodging  in  a  desert- 
ed temporary  village.  In  the  evening  I  shot  a  poku,  or  tsebula 
— full-grown  male.  It  measured,  from  snout  to  insertion  of  tail, 
five  feet  three  inches;  tail,  one  foot;  height  at  withers,  three  feet; 
circumference  of  chest,  five  feet;  face  to  insertion  of  horns,  nine 
and  a  half  inches;  horns  measured  on  curve,  sixteen  inches. 
Twelve  rings  on  horns,  and  one  had  a  ridge  behind,  half  an  inch 
broad,  half  an  inch  high,  and  tapering  up  the  horn ;  probably 
accidental.  Color:  reddish-yellow,  dark  points  in  front  of  foot 
and  on  the  ears,  belly  nearly  white.  The  shell  went  through 
from  behind  the  shoulder  to  the  spleen,  and  burst  on  the  other 
side,  yet  he  ran  one  hundred  yards.  I  felt  very  thankful  to  the 
Giver  of  all  good  for  this  meat. 

January  21111. — A  set-in  rain  all  the  morning,  but  having  meat 

*  The  experience  of  nil  African  sportsmen  tends  toward  tiie  same  oonolnsion. 
Vultures  probaI)ly  have  their  heats  high  overhead  in  the  sky,  too  far  to  he  seen  hy 
the  eye.  From  tiiis  altiiiido  they  can  watch  a  vast  tract  of  country;  and  whenever 
the  distnrhed  movements  of  game  are  ol)servcd  they  draw  together,  and  for  tlie  first 
time  arc  seen  wiiceling  about  at  a  great  height  over  the  spot.  vSo  soon  as  an  animal 
is  killed,  every  tree  is  filled  with  them;  but  the  liunter  has  only  to  cover  the  meat 
with  boughs  or  reeds,  nn<l  the  vultures  are  enlircly  at  a  loss — hidden  from  view,  it  is 
hidden  altogether:  the  idea  that  they  are  attracted  by  their  keen  sense  of  smell  is  al- 
together erroneous. — Ei». 


TREES  STRUCK  BY  LIGHTNING. 


153 


we  were  comfortable  in  the  old  huts.  In  changing  my  dress  this 
morning,  I  was  frightened  at  my  own  emaciation. 

January  28//i. — We  went  five  miles  along  the  Movushi  and  the 
Chambeze  to  a  crossing -place  said  to  avoid  three  rivers  on  the 
other  side,  which  require  canoes  just  now,  and  have  none.  Our 
latitude  10°  34'  S.  The  Chambeze  was  flooded  with  clear  wa- 
ter, but  the  lines  of  bushy  trees,  which  showed  its  real  banks, 
were  not  more  than  forty  yards  apart;  it  showed  its  usual  charac- 
ter of  abundant  animal  life  in  its  waters  and  on  its  banks,  as  it 
wended  its  way  westward.  The  canoe-man  was  excessively  sus- 
picious :  when  prepayment  was  acceded  to,  he  asked  a  piece  more ; 
and,  although  he  was  promised  full  payment  as  soon  as  we  were 
all  safely  across,  he  kept  the  last  man  on  the  south  side  as  a  hos- 
tage for  this  bit  of  calico :  he  then  ran  away.  They  must  cheat 
each  other  sadly. 

Went  northward,  wading  across  two  miles  of  flooded  flats  on  to 
which  the  Clarias  capensis,  a  species  of  siluris,  comes  to  forage 
out  of  the  river.  We  had  the  Likindazi,  a  sedgy  stream,  with 
hippopotami,  on  our  right.  Slept  in  forest  without  seeing  any 
one.  Then  next  day  we  met  with  a  party  who  had  come  from 
their  village  to  look  for  us.  We  were  now  in  Lobetnba,  but  these 
villagers  had  nothing  but  hopes  of  plenty  at  Chitapangwa's. 
This  village  had  half  a  mile  of  ooze  and  sludgy  marsh  in  front 
of  it,  and  a  stockade  as  usual.  We  observed  that  the  people  had 
great  fear  of  animals  at  night,  and  shut  the  gates  carefully,  of 
even  temporary  villages.  When  at  Molemba  (Chitapangwa's  vil- 
lage) afterward,  two  men  were  killed  by  a  lion,  and  great  fear 
of  crocodiles  was  expressed  by  our  canoe-man  at  the  Chambeze, 
when  one  washed  in  the  margin  of  that  river.  There  was  evi- 
dence of  abundance  of  game,  elephants,  and  buflaloes,  but  we 
saw  none. 

Jaimanj  2dlh. — When  near  our  next  stage  end,  we  were  shown 
where  liglitning  had  struck;  it  ran  down  a  gum-co[)al-trec  with- 
out damaging  it,  then  ten  yards  horizontally,  and,  dividing  there 
into  two  streams,  it  went  up  an  ant-hill :  the  withered  grass  show- 
ed its  course  very  plainly,  and  next  day  (31st),  on  the  banks  of 
the  Mabula,  we  saw  a  dry  tree  which  had  been  struck;  large 
splinters  had  been  riven  off  and  thrown  a  distance  of  sixty  yards 
in  one  direction,  and  thirty  yards  in  another:  only  a  stump  wa.s 
left,  and  patches  of  withered  grass  where  it  had  gone  horizontally, 

January  '60th. — Northward  through  almost  trackless  dripping 
forests  and  across  oozing  bogs. 

January  31a7. — Through  Ibre.st,  but  gardens  of  larger  size  than 


154 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


in  Lobisa  now  appear.  A  man  offered  a  thick  bar  of  copper  for 
sale,  a  foot  by  three  inches.  The  hard-leafed  acacia  and  mohempi 
abound.  The  valleys,  with  the  oozes,  have  a  species  of  grass, 
having  pink  seed -stalks  and  yellow  seeds:  this  is  very  pretty. 
At  midday  we  came  to  the  Lopiri,  the  rivulet  which  waters  Chi- 
tapanga's  stockade,  and  soon  after  found  that  his  village  has  a 
triple  stockade,  the  inner  being  defended  also  by  a  deep  broad 
ditch  and  hedge  of  a  solanaceous  thorny  shrub.  It  is  about  two 
hundred  yards  broad  and  five  hundred  long.  The  huts  not  plant- 
ed very  closely. 

The  rivulets  were  all  maJvingfor  the  Chambeze.  They  contain 
no  fish,  except  very  small  ones — probably  fry.  On  the  other,  or 
western  side  of  the  ridge,  near  which  "Malemba"  is  situated,  fish 
abound  worth  catching. 


Chitapangwa. 


Chitapangwa,  or  Motoka,  as  he  is  also  called,  sent  to  inquire  ii 
we  wanted  an  audience.  "  We  must  take  something  in  our  hands 
the  first  time  we  came  before  so  great  a  man."  Being  tired  from 
marching,  I  replied,  "  Not  till  the  evening,"  and  sent  notice  at 
5  P.M.  of  my  coming.  We  passed  through  tlic  inner  stockade, 
and  then  on  to  an  enormous  hut,  where  sat  Chitapangwa,  with 


BLACK  ARAB  SLAVE-TRADERS.  155 

three  drummers  and  ten  or  more  men,  witli  two  rattles  in  their 
hands.  The  drummers  beat  furiously,  and  the  rattlers  kept  time 
to  the  drums,  two  of  them  advancing  and  receding  in  a  stooping 
posture,  with  rattles  near  the  ground,  as  if  doing  the  chief  obei- 
sance, but  still  keeping  time  with  the  others.  I  declined  to  sit 
on  the  ground,  and  an  enormous  tusk  was  brought  for  me.  The 
chief  saluted  courteously.  He  has  a  fat,  jolly  face,  and  legs  load- 
ed with  brass  and  copper  leglets.  I  mentioned  our  losses  by  the 
desertion  of  the  Waiyau,  but  his  power  is  merely  nominal,  and 
he  could  do  nothing.  After  talking  a  while,  he  came  along  with 
us  to  a  group  of  cows,  and  pointed  out  one.  "  That  is  yours," 
said  he.  The  tusk  on  which  I  sat  was  sent  after  me,  too,  as  being 
mine,  because  I  had  sat  upon  it.  He  put  on  my  cloth  as  token 
of  acceptance,  and  sent  two  large  baskets  of  sorghum  to  the  hut 
afterward,  and  then  sent  for  one  of  the  boys  to  pump  him  after 
dark. 


C'hitnpniigwirH  WivcH. 


February  \st,  1867.— We  found  a  small  party  of  black  Arab 
slave-traders  here  from  Bagamoio  on  the  coast;  and  as  the  chief 
had  behaved  handsomely,  as  I  thought,  1  went  this  morning  and 
gave  him  one  of  our  best  cloths;  but  when  wc  were  about  to  kill 

11 


156 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


the  cow,  a  man  interfered  and  pointed  out  a  smaller  one.  I  ask- 
ed if  this  was  by  the  orders  of  the  chief.  The  chief  said  that  the 
man  had  lied,  but  I  declined  to  take  any  cow  at  all  if  he  did  not 
give  it  willingly. 

The  slavers,  the  head  man  of  whom  was  Magaru  Mafupi,  came 
and  said  that  they  were  going  off  on  the  2d  (February  2d) ;  but 
by  payment  I  got  them  to  remain  a  day,  and  was  all  day  em- 
ployed in  writing  dispatches. 

February  3d. — Magaru  Mafupi  left  this  morning  with  a  packet 
of  letters,  for  which  he  is  to  get  Es.  10  at  Zanzibar.*  They  came 
by  a  much  shorter  route  than  we  followed,  in  fact  nearly  due 
west  or  south-west;  but  not  a  soul  would  tell  us  of  this  way  of 
coming  into  the  country  when  we  were  at  Zanzibar.  Bagamoio 
is  only  six  hours  north  of  Kurdary  Harbor.  It  is  possible  that 
the  people  of  Zanzibar  did  not  know  of  it  themselves,  as  this  is 
the  first  time  they  have  come  so  far.  The  route  is  full  of  vil- 
lages and  people  who  have  plenty  of  goats,  and  very  cheap. 
They  number  fifteen  stations,  or  sultans,  as  the}^  call  the  chiefs, 
and  will  be  at  Bagamoio  in  two  months:  1.  Chasa;  2.  Lombe; 
3.  Uchere ;  4.  Nyamiro ;  5.  Zonda ;  6.  Zambi ;  7.  Lioti ;  8.  Merer^ ; 
9.  Kirangabana ;  10.  Nkongozi ;  11.  Sombogo;  12.  Sure;  13.  Lo- 
molasenga;  14.  Kapass;  15.  Chanze.  They  are  then  in  the  coun- 
try adjacent  to  Bagamoio.  Some  of  these  places  are  two  or  three 
days  apart  from  each  other. 

They  came  to  three  large  rivers :  1.  Wembo ;  2.  Luaha ;  3.  Luvo; 
but  I  had  not  time  to  make  further  inquiries.  They  had  one 
of  Speke's  companions  to  Tanganyika  with  them,  named  Janjd, 
or  Janja,  who  could  imitate  a  trumpet  by  blowing  into  the  palm 
of  his  hand.  I  ordered  another  supply  of  cloth  and  beads,  and 
I  sent  for  a  small  quantity  of  coffee,  sugar,  candles,  French  pre- 
served meats,  a  cheese  in  tin,  six  bottles  of  Port-wine,  quinine, 
calomel,  and  resin  of  jalap,  to  be  sent  to  Ujiji. 

I  proposed  to  go  a  little  way  east  with  this  route  to  buy  goats, 
but  Chitapangwa  got  very  angry,  saying  I  came  only  to  show  my 
things,  and  would  buy  nothing;  he  then  altered  his  tone,  and  re- 
quested me  to  take  the  cow  first  presented  and  eat  it,  and  as  we 
were  all  much  in  need,  I  took  it.  We  were  to  give  only  what 
we  liked  in  addition ;  but  this  was  a  snare,  and  when  I  gave  two 
more  cloths  he  sent  them  back,  and  demanded  a  blanket  The 
boys  alone  have  blankets;  so  I  told  him  those  were  not  slaves, 
and  1  could  not  take  from  them  what  1  bad  once  given.  Though 


♦  Tliesc  letters  reiiclied  Engliind  siifely. 


THE  CHIEF  BABGAIKS  FOR  A  BLANKET. 


157 


it  is  disagreeable  to  be  thus  victimized,  it  is  the  first  time  we  have 
tasted  fat  for  six  weeks  and  more. 

February  Qth. — Chitapangwa  came  with  his  wife  to  see  the  in- 
struments, which  I  explained  to  them  as  well  as  I  could,  and  the 
books,  as  well  as  the  Book  of  Books ;  and  to  my  statements  he 
made  intelligent  remarks.  The  boys  are  sorely  afraid  of  him. 
When  Abraham  does  not  like  to  say  what  I  state,  he  says  to 
me,  "  I  don't  know  the  proper  word ;"  but  when  I  speak  wnthout 
him,  he  soon  finds  them.  He  and  Simon  thought  that  talking  in 
a  cringing  manner  was  the  way  to  win  him  over,  so  I  let  them 
try  it  with  a  man  he  sent  to  communicate  with  us;  and  the  re- 
sult was  this  fellow  wanted  to  open  their  bundles,  pulled  them 
about,  and  kept  them  awake  most  of  the  night.  Abraham  came 
at  night:  "Sir,  what  shall  I  do?  they  won't  let  me  sleep."  "  You 
have  had  your  own  way,"  I  replied,  "and  must  abide  by  it."  He 
brought  them  over  to  me  in  the  morning,  but  I  soon  dismissed 
both  him  and  them. 

February  1th. — I  sent  to  the  chief  either  to  come  to  me  or  say 
wlien  I  should  come  to  him  and  talk;  the  answer  I  got  was  that 
he  would  come  when  shaved,  but  he  afterward  sent  a  man  to 
hear  what  I  had  to  advance ;  this  I  declined,  and  when  the  rain 
ceased  I  went  myself. 

On  coming  into  his  hut,  I  stated  that  I  had  given  him  four 
times  the  value  of  his  cow ;  but  if  he  thought  otherwise,  let  us 
take  the  four  cloths  to  his  brother  Moamba,  and  if  he  said  that 
I  had  not  given  enough,  I  would  buy  a  cow  and  send  it  back. 
Tliis  he  did  not  relish  at  all.  "Oh,  great  Englishman!  why 
should  we  refer  a  dispute  to  an  inferior?  I  am  the  great  chief 
of  all  this  country.  Ingleze  mokolu,  you  are  sorry  that  you  have 
to  give  so  much  for  the  ox  you  have  eaten.  You  would  not 
take  a  smaller,  and  therefore  I  gratified  your  heart  by  giving  the 
larger;  and  why  should  not  you  gratify  my  heart  by  giving  cloth 
sufficient  to  cover  mo,  and  please  me?" 

I  said  that  my  cloths  would  cover  him,  and  his  biggest  wife 
too,  all  over;  he  laughed  at  this,  but  still  held  out;  and  as  we 
have  meat,  and  he  sent  maize  and  calabashes,  I  went  away.  He 
turns  round  now,  and  puts  the  blame  of  greediness  on  me.  I 
Can  not  enter  into  his  ideas,  or  see  his  point  of  view ;  can  not,  in 
fact,  enter  into  his  ignorance,  his  prejudices,  or  delusions,  so  it  is 
impossible  to  pronounce  a  true  judgment.  One  who  has  no  hu- 
mor can  not  understand  one  who  lias:  this  is  an  equivalent  case. 

llain  and  clouds  so  constantly,  I  could  not  get  our  latitude  till 
last  night,  10°  14'  G"  S.    On  8th  got  lunars.   Long.  31°  46'  45"  E. 


158 


LiriXGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Altitude  above  sea,  four  thousand  seven  hundred  feet,  by  boil- 
ing-point and  barometer. 

February  8th.  —  The  chief  demands  one  of  my  boxes  and  a 
blanket;  I  explain  that  one  day's  rain  would  spoil  the  contents; 
and  the  boys  who  have  blankets,  not  being  slaves,  I  can  not  take 
from  them  what  I  have  given.  I  am  told  that  he  declares  that 
he  will  take  us  back  to  the  Loangwa,  make  war,  and  involve  us 
in  it,  deprive  us  of  food,  etc. :  this  succeeds  in  terrifying  the  boys. 
He  thinks  that  we  have  some  self-interest  to  secure  in  passing 
through  the  country,  and  therefore  he  has  a  right  to  a  share  in 
the  gain.  When  told  it  was  for  a  public  benefit,  he  pulled  down 
the  under  lid  of  the  right  eye.*  He  believes  we  shall  profit  by 
our  journey,  though  he  knows  not  in  what  way. 

It  is  possibly  only  a  coincidence,  but  no  sooner  do  we  meet 
with  one  who  accompanied  Speke  and  Burton  to  Tanganyika, 
than  the  system  of  mulcting  commences.  I  have  no  doubt  but 
that  Janj^  told  this  man  how  his  former  employers  paid  down 
whatever  was  demanded  of  them. 

February  10th. — I  had  service  in  the  open  air,  many  looking 
on,  and  spoke  afterward  to  the  chief,  but  he  believes  nothing- 
save  what  Speke  and  Burton's  man  has  told  him.  He  gave  us 
a  present  of  corn  and  ground-nuts,  and  says  he  did  not  order  the 
people  not  to  sell  grain  to  us.  We  must  stop  and  eat  green 
maize.  He  came  after  evening  service,  and  I  explained  a  little 
to  him,  and  showed  him  wood-cuts  in  the  "Bible  Dictionary," 
which  he  readily  understood. 

February  11th. — The  chief  sent  us  a  basket  of  hippopotamus 
flesh  from  the  Chambeze,  and  a  large  one  of  green  maize.  He 
says  the  three  cloths  I  offered  are  still  mine :  all  he  wants  is  a 
box  and  blanket;  if  not  a  blanket,  a  box  must  be  given,  a  tin 
one.  He  keeps  out  of  my  way,  by  going  to  the  gardens  every 
morning.  He  is  good-natured,  and  our  intercourse  is  a  laughing 
one ;  but  the  hoys  betray  their  terrors  in  their  tone  of  voice,  and 
render  my  words  powerless. 

The  black  and  white,  and  the  brownish-gray  water  wagtails 
are  remarkably  tame.  They  come  about  tlie  huts  and  even  into 
them,  and  no  one  ever  disturbs  them.  They  build  their  nests 
about  the  huts.  In  the  Bechuana  country,  a  fine  is  imposed  on 
any  man  whose  boys  kill  one,  but  wli}'',  no  one  can  tell  me.  The 


*  It  bccms  almost  too  ridiculous  to  believe  that  we  have  here  tlio  exact  eiiiiivalent 
of  tlic  Kciiool-boy's  <lcnionstnitive  "Do  you  sec  any  green  in  niy  eye ?"  Nevertlieless, 
it  looks  woiidci fully  like  it! — El). 


EMBARRASSED  BY  IMERPRETERS. 


159 


boys  with  me  aver  that  they  are  not  killed,  because  the  meat  is 
not  eaten  !  or  because  they  are  so  tame ! 

February  IBth. — I  gave  one  of  the  boxes  at  last,  Chitapangwa 
offering  a  heavy  Arab  wooden  one  to  preserve  our  things,  which 
I  declined  to  take,  as  I  parted  with  our  own  partly  to  lighten  a 
load.  Abraham  unwittingly  told  me  that  he  had  not  given  me 
the  chief's  statement  in  full  when  he  pressed  me  to  take  his  cow. 
It  was,  "Take  and  eat  the  one  you  like,  and  give  me  a  blanket." 
Abraham  said,  "  He  has  no  blanket."  Then  he  said  to  me, 
"Take  it  and  eat  it,  and  give  him  any  pretty  thing  you  like."  I 
was"  thus  led  to  mistake  the  chief,  and  he,  believing  that  he  had 
said  explicitly  he  wanted  a  blanket  for  it,  naturally  held  out.  It 
is  difficult  to  get  these  lads  to  say  what  one  wants  uttered  :  either 
with  enormous  self-conceit,  they  give  different,  and,  as  they  think, 
better  statements,  suppress  them  altogether,  or  return  false  an- 
swers: this  is  the  great  and  crowning  difficulty  of  my  inter- 
course. 

I  got  ready  to  go,  but  the  chief  was  very  angry,  and  came  with 
all  his  force,  exclaiming  that  I  wanted  to  leave  against  his  wnll 
and  power,  though  he  wished  to  adjust  matters,  and  send  me 
away  nicely.  He  does  not  believe  that  we  have  no  blankets. 
It  is  hard  to  be  kept  waiting  here,  but  all  may  be  for  the  best:  it 
has  always  turned  out  so,  and  I  trust  in  Ilim  on  whom  I  can  cast 
all  my  cares.  The  Lord  look  ou  this,  and  help  me !  Though  I 
have  these  nine  boys,  I  feel  quite  alone. 

I  gave  the  chief  some  seeds,  pease,  and  beans,  for  which  he 
seemed  thankful,  and  returned  little  presents  of  food  and  beer  fre- 
quently. The  beer  of  macre  is  stuffijd  full  of  the  growing  grain 
as  it  begins  to  sprout :  it  is  as  thick  as  porridge,  very  strong  and 
bitter,  and  goes  to  the  head,  requiring  a  strong  digestion  to  over- 
come it. 

Fehriiary  lith. — I  showed  the  chief  one  of  the  boys'  blankets, 
which  he  is  willing  to  part  with  for  two  of  our  cloths,  each  of 
which  is  larger  than  it;  but  he  declines  to  receive  it,  because  we 
have  new  ones.  I  invited  him,  since  he  disbelieved  my  asser- 
tions, to  look  in  our  bales,  and  if  he  saw  none,  to  pay  us  a  fine 
for  the  insult :  he  consented,  in  a  laughing  way,  to  give  us  an  ox. 
All  our  personal  intercourse  has  been  of  the  good-natured  sort. 
It  is  the  communications  to  the  boys  by  three  men  who  arc  our 
protectors,  or  rather  spies,  that  is  disagreeable  ;  I  will  not  let  them 
bring  these  fellows  near  me. 

Ftbruurij  lijlh. — He  came  early  in  the  morning,  and  I  showed 
that  I  had  no  blanket,  and  he  took  the  old  one,  and  said  that  the 


160 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


affair  was  ended.  A  long  misunderstanding  would  have  been 
avoided,  had  Abraham  told  me  fully  what  the  chief  said  at  first. 

February  16ih. — The  chief  offered  me  a  cow  for  a  piece  of  red 
serge,  and  after  a  deal  of  talk  and  Chitapangwa  swearing  that  no 
demand  would  be  made  after  the  bargain  was  concluded,  I  gave 
the  serge,  a  cloth,  and  a  few  beads  for  a  good  fat  cow.  The  serge 
was  two  fathoms,  a  portion  of  that  which  Miss  Coutts  gave  me 
when  leaving  England  in  1858. 

The  chief  is  not  so  bad,  as  the  boys  are  so  cowardly.  They  as- 
sume a  chirping,  piping  tone  of  voice  in  speaking  to  him,  and  do 
not  say  what  at  last  has  to  be  said,  because,  in  their  cringing  souls, 
they  believe  they  know  what  should  be  said  better  than  I  do.  It 
does  not  strike  them  in  the  least  that  I  have  grown  gray  among 
these  people;  and  it  is  immense  conceit  in  mere  boys  to  equal 
themselves  to  me.  The  difficulty  is  greater,  because  when  I  do 
ask  their  opinions  I  only  receive  the  reply,  "  It  is  as  you  please, 
sir."  Very  likely  some  men  of  character  may  arise  and  lead 
them ;  but  such  as  I  have  would  do  little  to  civilize. 

February  17th. — Too  ill  with  rheumatic  fever  to  have  service; 
this  is  the  first  attack  of  it  I  ever  had — and  no  medicine !  but  I 
trust  in  the  Lord,  who  healeth  his  people. 

February  18ih. — This  cow  we  divided  at  once.  The  last  one  we 
cooked,  and  divided  a  full,  hearty  meal  to  all  every  evening. 

The  boom  —  boomina;  of  water  dashinsr  against  or  over  the 
rocks — is  heard  at  a  good  distance  from  most  of  the  burns  in  this 
upland  region ;  hence  it  is  never  quite  still. 

The  rocks  here  are  argillaceous  schist,  red  and  white.  {Keel, 
Scotlice.) 

February  19th. — Chitapangwa  begged  me  to  stay  another  day, 
that  one  of  the  boys  might  mend  his  blanket;  it  has  been  worn 
every  night  since  April,  and  I,  being  weak  and  giddy,  consented. 
A  glorious  day  of  bright  sunlight  after  a  night's  rain.  We  scarce- 
ly ever  have  a  twenty-four  hours  without  rain,  and  never  half 
that  period  without  thunder. 

The  cam-wood  (?)  is  here  called  molombwa,  and  grows  very 
abundantly.  The  people  take  the  bark,  boil,  and  grind  it  fine: 
it  is  then  a  splendid  blood-red,  and  they  use  it  extensively  as  an 
ornament,  sprinkling  it  on  the  bark-cloth,  or  smearing  it  on  the 
head.  It  is  in  large  balls,  and  is  now  called  mkola.  The  tree 
has  pinnated,  alternate  lanceolate  leaves,  and  attains  a  height  of 
forty  or  fifty  feet,  with  a  diameter  of  fifteen  or  eighteen  inches, 
finely  and  closely  veined  above,  more  widely  beneath. 

I  am  informed  by  Abraliani  that  the  nyuinbo  (iinnibo,  or  mum- 


ABUNDANCE  OF  VALUABLE  WOOD. 


161 


bo)  is  easily  propagated  by  cuttings,  or  by  cuttings  of  the  roots. 
A  bunch  of  the  stalks  is  preserved  in  the  soil  for  planting  next 
year,  and  small  pieces  are  cut  off,  and  take  root  easily ;  it  has  a 
pea-shaped  flower,  but  we  never  saw  the  seed.  It  is  very  much 
better  here  than  I  have  seen  it  elsewhere;  and  James  says  that 
in  his  country  it  is  quite  white,  and  better  still ;  what  I  have  seen 
is  of  a  greenish  tinge  after  it  is  boiled. 

[Among  the  articles  brought  to  the  coast,  the  men  took  care 
not  to  lose  a  number  of  seeds  which  they  found  in  Dr.  Living- 
stone's boxes  after  his  death.  These  have  been  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  authorities  at  Kew,  and  we  may  hope  that  in  some 
instances  they  have  maintained  vitality. 

It  is  a  great  pity  that  there  is  such  a  lack  of  enterprise  in  the 
various  European  settlements  on  the  East  Coast  of  Africa.  Were 
it  otherwise,  a  large  trade  in  valuable  woods  and  other  products 
would  assuredly  spring  up.  Ebony  and  lignum-vitse  abound; 
Dr.  Livingstone  used  hardly  any  other  fuel  when  he  navigated 
the  P/oneer,  and  no  wood  was  found  to  make  such  "good  steam." 
India-rubber  may  be  had  for  the  collecting,  and  we  see  that  even 
the  natives  know  some  of  the  dye-woods,  besides  which  the  palm- 
oil-tree  is  found ;  indigo  is  a  weed  everywhere,  and  coffee  is  in- 
digenous.] 


162 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Cliitapangwa's  parting  Oath. — Course  laid  for  Lake  Tanganyika. — Moamba's  Village. 
— Another  'Water-shed. — The  Babeniba  Tribe. ^ — 111  with  Fever. — Threatening  At- 
titude of  Ciiibue's  people. — Continued  Illness. — Reaches  Cliffs  overhanging  Lake 
Liemba. — Extreme  Beauty  of  the  Scene. — Dangerous  Fit  of  Insensibility. — Leaves 
the  Lake. — Pernambuco  Cotton! — Humors  of  War  between  Arabs  and  Nsama. — 
Reaches  Chitimba's  Village. — Presents  Sultan's  Letter  to  principal  Arab  Ilamees. 
— The  War  in  Itawa. — Geography  of  the  Arabs. — Ivory  Traders  and  Slave-dealers. 
— Appeal  to  the  Koran. — Gleans  Intelligence  of  the  Wasongo  to  the  eastward,  and 
their  Chief,  Mereie'. — Hamees  sets  out  against  Nsama. — Tedious  Sojourn. — De- 
parture for  Ponda. — Native  Cupping. 

February  20th,  1867. — I  TOLD  the  chief  before  starting  that  my 
heart  was  sore,  because  he  was  not  sending  me  away  so  cordially 
as  I  liked.  He  at  once  ordered  men  to  start  with  us,  and  gave 
me  a  brass  knife  with  ivory  sheath,  which  he  had  long  worn,  as 
a  memorial.  He  explained  that  we  ought  to  go  north,  as,  if  we 
made  easting,  we  should  ultimately  be  obliged  to  turn  west,  and 
all  our  cloth  would  be  expended  ere  we  reached  the  Lake  Tan- 
ganyika: he  took  a  piece  of  clay  off  the  ground  and  rubbed  it  on 
his  tongue,  as  an  oath  that  what  he  said  was  true,  and  came  along 
with  us  to  see  that  all  was  right ;  and  so  we  parted. 

We  soon  ascended  the  plateau,  which  incloses  with  its  edge 
the  village  and  stream  of  Molemba.  Wild  pigs  are  abundant, 
and  there  are  marks  of  former  cultivation.  A  short  march 
brought  us  to  an  ooze,  surrounded  by  hedges,  game-traps,  and 
pit-falls,  where,  as  we  are  stiff  and  weak,  we  spend  the  night. 
Eocks  abound  of  the  same  dolomite  kind  as  on  the  ridge  far- 
ther south,  between  the  Loangwa  and  Chambeze,  covered,  like 
them,  with  lichens,  orchids,  euphorbias,  and  upland  vegetation, 
hard-leaved  acacias,  rhododendrons,  masukos.  The  guni-copal- 
tree,  when  perforated  by  a  grub,  exudes  from  branches  no  tliick- 
er  than  one's  arm  nias.scs  of  soft,  gluc3'-looking  gum,  brownish- 
yellow,  and  light  gray,  as  much  as  would  fill  a  soup-plate.  It 
seems  to  yield  this  gum  onl}'-  in  the  rainy  season,  and  now  all  the 
trees  are  full  of  .sap  and  gum. 

February  2\sL — A  night  with  loud  and  near  thunder,  and  much 
heavy  rain,  which  came  through  the  boys'  sheds,  lloads  all  plashy, 
or  running  with  water,  oozes  full,  and  rivulets  overflowing;  rocks 
of  dolomite  jutting  out  here  and  there.    I  noticed  growing  here 


MOAMBA'S  VILLAGE. 


163 


a  spikenard-looking  slirub,  six  feet  bigli,  and  a  foot  in  diameter. 
The  path  led  us  west  against  my  will.  I  found  one  going  north ; 
but  the  boys  pretended  that  they  did  not  see  my  mark,  and  went 
west,  evidently  afraid  of  incurring  Moamba's  displeasure  by  pass- 
ing him.  I  found  them  in  an  old  hut,  and  made  the  best  of  it  by 
saying  nothing.  They  said  that  they  had  wandered  ;  that  was, 
they  had  never  left  the  west-going  path. 

February  22c/. — We  came  to  a  perennial  rivulet  running  north, 
the  Merungu.  Here  we  met  Moamba's  people,  but  declined  go- 
ing to  his  village,  as  huts  are  disagreeable ;  they  often  have  ver- 
min, and  one  is  exposed  to  the  gaze  of  a  crowd  through  a  very 
small  door-way.  The  people,  in  their  curiosity,  often  make  the 
place  dark,  and  the  impudent  ones  offer  characteristic  remarks, 
then  raise  a  laugh,  and  run  away. 

We  encamped  on  the  Merungu's  right  bank  in  forest,  sending 
word  to  Moamba  that  we  meant  to  do  so.  He  sent  a  deputation, 
first  of  all  his  young  men,  to  bring  us;  then  old  men ;  and  lastly 
he  came  himself,  with  about  sixty  followers.  I  explained  that  I 
had  become  sick  by  living  in  a  little  hut  at  Molemba;  that  I  was 
better  in  the  open  air;  that  huts  contained  vermin;  and  that  I 
did  not  mean  to  remain  any  while  here,  but  go  on  our  way.  He 
pressed  us  to  come  to  his  village,  and  gave  us  a  goat  and  kid,  with 
a  huge  calabashful  of  beer.  I  promised  to  go  over  and  visit  him 
next  day,  and  went  accordingly. 

February  23d. — Moamba's  village  was  a  mile  off,  and  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  Merenge,  a  larger  stream  than  the  Merungu, 
flowing  north,  and  having  its  banks  and  oozes  covered  with  fine, 
tall,  straight,  ever-green  trees.  The  village  is  surrounded  with  a 
stockade,  and  a  dry  ditch  some  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  wide,  and 
as  many  deep.  I  had  a  long  talk  with  Moamba,  a  big,  stout, 
public-house-looking  i)crson,  with  a  slight  outward  cast  in  his  left 
eye,  but  intelligent  and  hearty.  I  presented  him  with  a  cloth; 
and  he  gave  me  as  much  maere  meal  as  a  man  could  carry,  with 
a  large  basket  of  ground-nuts.  He  wished  us  to  come  to  the 
Merenge,  if  not  into  his  village,  that  he  might  seo  and  talk  with 
me;  I  also  showed  him  some  pictures  in  Smith's  "Bible  Diction- 
ary," which  he  readily  understood,  and  I  spoke  to  him  about 
the  Bible.  He  asked  me  "  to  come  next  day  and  tell  him  about 
prayer  to  God:"  this  was  a  natural  desire  after  being  told  that 
we  ])rayed. 

He  was  very  anxious  to  know  why  we  were  going  to  Tangan- 
yika; for  what  we  came;  what  we  should  l)uy  there;  and  if  I 
had  any  relations  there.    He. then  showed  me  sonic  fine  large 


164 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


tusks  eight  feet  six  in  length.  .  "What  do  you  wish  to  buy,  if 
not  slaves  or  ivory?"  I  replied  that  the  only  thing  I  had  seen 
worth  buying  was  a  fine  fat  chief  like  him,  as  a  specimen,  and  a 
woman  feeding  him,  as  he  had,  with  beer.  He  was  tickled  at 
this;  and  said  that  when  we  reached  our  country  I  must  put  fine 
clothes  on  him.  This  led  us.  to  speak  of  our  climate,  and  the 
production  of  wool. 

February  24:th. — I  went  over  after  service,  but  late,  as  the  rain 
threatened  to  be  heavy.  A  case  was  in  process  of  hearing,  and 
one  old  man  spoke  an  hour  on  end,  the  chief  listening  all  the 
while  with  the  gravity  of  a  judge.  He  then  delivered  his  decision 
in  about  five  minutes,  the  successful  litigant' going  olf  lullilooing. 
Each  person,  before  addressing  him,  turns  his  back  to  him  and 
lies  down  on  the  ground,  clapping  the  hands:  this  is  the  common 
mode  of  salutation.  Another  form  here  in  Lobemba  is  to  rattle 
the  arrows  or  an  arrow  on  the  bow,  which  all  carry.  We  had 
a  little  talk  with  the  chief ;  but  it  was  late  before  the  cause  was 
heard  through.  He  asked  us  to  come  and  spend  one  night  near 
him  on  the  Merenge,  and  then  go  on ;  so  we  came  over  in  the 
morning  to  the  vicinity  of  his  village.  A  great  deal  of  copper 
wire  is  here  made,  the  wire-drawers  using  for  one  part  of  the 
process  a  seven-inch  cable.  They  make  very  fine  wire,  and  it  is 
used  chiefly  as  leglets  and  anklets;  the  chief's  wives  being  laden 
with  them,  and  obliged  to  walk  in  a  stately  style,  from  the  weight: 
the  copper  comes  from  Katanga. 

February  26th. — The  chief  wishes  to  buy  a  cloth  with  two  goats, 
but  his  men  do  not  bring  them  up  quickly.  Simon,  one  of  the  boys, 
is  ill  of  fever,  and  this  induces  me  to  remain,  though  moving  from 
one  place  to  another  is  the  only  remedy  we  have  in  our  power. 

With  the  chief's  men  we  did  not  get  on  well,  but  with  liimself 
all  was  easy.  His  men  demanded  prepayment  for  canoes  to  cross 
the  River  Loombe;  but  in  the  way  that  he  put  it,  the  request 
was  not  unreasonable,  as  he  gave  a  man  to  smooth  our  way  and 
get  canoes,  or  whatever  else  was  needed,  all  the  way  to  Chibue's. 
I  gave  a  cloth  when  he  put  it  thus,  and  he  presented  a  goat,  a 
spear  ornamented  with  copper-wire,  abundance  of  meal,  and  beer, 
and  numbo;  so  we  parted  good  friends,  as  his  presents  were 
worth,  the  cloth. 

Holding  a  north-westerly  course,  we  met  with  the  Cliikosho 
flowing  west,  and  thence  came  to  the  Likombd  by  a  high  ridge 
called  Losauswa,  which  runs  a  long  way  westward.  It  is  prob- 
ably a  water -shed  between  streams  going  to  the  Chambezc  and 
those  that  go  to  the  northern  rivers. 


BIVEES  OF  THE  BABEMBA. 


165 


We  have  the  Locopa,  Loombe,  Nikdlenge,  then  Lofubu  or 
Lovu;  the  last  goes  north  into  Liembe,  but  accounts  are  very 
confused.  The  Chambeze  rises  in  the  Mambive  country,  which 
is  north-east  of  Moamba,  but  near  to  it. 

The  forest  through  which  we  passed  was  dense,  but  scrubby ; 
trees  unhealthy,  and  no  drainage  except  through  oozes.  On  the 
keel,  which  forms  a  clay  soil,  the  rain  runs  off,  and  the  trees  attain 
a  large  size.  The  roads  are  not  soured  by  the  slow  process  of 
the  ooze  drainage.  At  present  all  the  slopes  having  loamy  or 
sandy  soil  are  oozes,  and  full  to  overflowing;  a  long  time  is  re- 
quired for  them  to  discharge  their  contents.  The  country  gener- 
ally may  be  called  one  covered  with  forest. 

March  6lh,  1867. — We  came,  after  a  short  march,  to  a  village 
on  the  Molilanga,  flowing  east  into  the  Loombe:  here  we  meet 
with  bananas  for  the  first  time,  called,  as  in  Lunda,  nkondd  A 
few  trophies  from  Mazitu  are  hung  up :  Chitapangwa  had  twenty- 
four  skulls  ornamenting  his  stockade.  The  Babemba  are  decided- 
ly more  warlike  than  any  of  the  tribes  south  of  them :  their  vil- 
lages are  stockaded,  and  have  deep  dry  ditches  round  them ;  so 
it  is  likely  that  Mochimb^  will  be  effectually  checked,  and  forced 
to  turn  his  energies  to  something  else  than  to  marauding. 

Our  man  from  Moamba  here  refused  to  go  farther,  and  we 
were  put  on  the  wrong  track  by  the  head  man,  wading  through 
three  marshes,  each  at  least  half  a  mile  broad.  The  people  of 
the  first  village  we  came  to  shut  their  gates  on  us,  then  came 
running  after  us;  but  we  declined  to  enter  their  village:  it  is  a 
way  of  showing  their  independence.  We  made  our  sheds  on  a 
height  in  spite  of  their  protests.  Thc}'^  said  that  the  gates  were 
shut  by  the  boys;  but  when  I  pointed  out  the  boy  who  had  done 
it,  he  said  that  he  had  been  ordered  to  do  it  by  the  chief.  If  we 
had  gone  in  now  we  should  have  been  looked  on  as  having  come 
under  considerable  obligations. 

March  Sth. — We  went  on  to  a  village  on  the  Loombe,  where 
the  people  showed  an  opposite  disposition ;  for  not  a  soul  was 
in  it — all  were  out  at  their  farms.  When  the  good-wife  of  the 
place  came,  she  gave  us  all  huts,  which  saved  us  from  a  pelting 
shower.  The  boys  herding  the  goats  did  not  .stir  as  we  passed 
down  the  sides  of  the  lovely  valley.  The  Loombe  looks  a  slug- 
gish stream  from  a  distance.  The  herdsman  said  we  were  wel- 
come, and  he  would  show  the  crossing  next  day;  he  also  cooked 
some  food  for  us. 

Guided  by  our  host,  we  went  along  the  TiOombc  westward  till 
we  reached  the  bridge  (rather  a  rickety  all'air),  which,  when  the 


1G6 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


water  is  low,  ma}'  be  used  as  a  weir.  The  Loombd  main  stream 
is  sixty-six  feet  wide,  six  feet  deep,  with  at  least  two  hundred 
feet  of  flood  beyond  it.  The  water  was  knee-deep  on  the  bridge, 
but  clear;  the  flooded  part  beyond  was  waist-deep,  and  the  wa- 
ter flowing  fast. 

All  the  people  are  now  transplanting  tobacco  from  the  spaces 
under  the  eaves  of  the  huts  into  the  fields.  It  seems  unable  to 
bear  the  greater  heat  of  summer:  they  plant  also  a  kind  of  11- 
randa,  proper  for  the  cold  weather.  We  thought  that  we  were 
conferring  a  boon  in  giving  pease,  but  we  found  them  generally 
propagated  all  over  the  country  already,  f^nd  in  the  cold  time 
too.  We  went  along  the  Diola  River  to  an  old  hut,  and  made  a 
fire ;  thence  across  country  to  another  river,  called  Loendawe, 
six  feet  wide  and  nine  feet  deep. 

March  10th. — I  have  been  ill  of  fever  ever  since  we  left  Mo- 
araba's;  every  step  I  take  jars  in  the  chest,  and  I  am  very  weak; 
I  can  scarcely  keep  up  the  march,  though  formerly  I  was  always 
first,  and  had  to  hold  in  my  pace,  not  to  leave  the  people  alto- 
gether. I  have  a  constant  singing  in  the  ears,  and  can  scarcely 
hear  the  loud  tick  of  the  chronometers.  The  appetite  is  good, 
but  we  have  no  proper  food,  chiefly  maere  meal  or  beans,  or 
mapemba  or  ground-nuts,  rarely  a  fowl. 

The  country  is  full  of  hopo-hedges,  but  the  animals  are  harass- 
ed, and  we  never  see  them. 

March  11th. — Detained  by  a  set-in  rain.  Marks  on  masses  of 
dolomite  elicited  the  information  that  a  party  of  Londa  smiths 
came  once  to  this  smelting-ground  and  erected  their  works  here. 
W^e  saw  an  old  iron  furnace,  and  masses  of  hematite,  which  seems 
to  have  been  the  ore  universally  used. 

March  12(h. — Rain  held  us  back  for  some  time,  but  we  soon 
reached  Chibuc,  a  stockaded  village.  Like  them  all,  it  is  situ- 
ated by  a  stream,  with  a  dense  clump  of  trees  on  the  water-side 
of  some  species  of  mangrove.  They  attain  large  size,  have  soft 
wood,  and  succulent  leaves;  the  roots  intertwine  in  the  mud,  and 
one  has  to  watch  that  he  does  not  step  where  no  roots  exist,  oth- 
erwise he  sinks  -up  to  the  thigh.  In  a  village  the  people  feel 
that  we  are  on  their  property,  and  crowd  upon  us  inconvenient- 
ly;  but  outside,  where  we  usually  erect  our  sheds,  no  such  feel- 
ing exists:  we  are  each  on  a  level,  and  they  do  not  take  liberties. 

The  Balungu  are  marked  by  three  or  four  little  knobs  on  the 
tcm])lcs,  and  the  lobes  of  the  ears  are  distended  by  a  piece  of 
wood,  which  is  ornamented  with  beads;  bands  of  beads  go  across 
the  forelicad  and  hold  up  the  hair. 


TBOUBLED  BY  ANTS. 


167 


Chibue's  village  is  at  the  source  of  the  Lokwdna,  which  goes 
north  and  north-east ;  a  long  range  of  low  hills  is  on  our  north- 
east, which  are  the  Mambwe,  or  part  of  them.  The  Chambeze 
rises  in  them,  but  farther  south.  Here  the  Lokwena,  round 
whose  source  we  came  on  starting  this  morning  to  avoid  wet 
feet,  and  all  others  north  and  west  of  this,  go  to  the  Lofu  or 
Lobu,  and  into  Liemba  Lake.  Those  from  the  hills  on  our  right 
go  east  into  the  Loanzu,  and  so  into  the  Lake. 

March  15th. — We  now  are  making  for  Kasonso,  the  chief  of 
the  Lake,  and  a  very  large  country  all  around  it,  passing  the  Lo- 
chenjc,  five  yards  wide,  and  knee-deep,  then  to  the  Chaiiumba. 
All  flow  very  rapidly  just  now,  and  are  flooded  with  clean  water. 
Every  one  carries  an  axe,  as  if  constantly  warring  with  the  forest. 
My  long-continued  fever  ill  disposes  me  to  enjoy  the  beautiful 
landscape.  We  are  evidently  on  the  ridge,  but  people  have  not 
a  clear  conception  of  where  the  rivers  run. 

March  19th. — A  party  of  young  men  came  out  of  the  village 
near  which  we  had  encamped,  to  force  us  to  pay  something  for 
not  going  into  their  village.  "The  son  of  a  great  chief  ought  to 
be  acknowledged,"  etc.  They  had  their  bows  and  arrows  with 
them,  and  all  ready  for  action.  I  told  them  we  had  remained 
near  them  because  they  said  we  could  not  reach  Kasonso  that 
day.  Their  head  man  had  given  us  nothing.  After  talking  a 
while,  and  threatening  to  do  a  deal  to-morrow,  they  left,  and, 
through  an  Almighty  Providence,  nothing  was  attempted.  We 
moved  on  north-west  in  forest,  with  long,  green,  tree -covered 
slopes  on  our  right,  and  came  to  a  village  of  Kasonso  in  a  very 
lovely  valley.  Great  green  valleys  were  now  scooped  out,  and 
many,  as  the  Kakanza,  run  into  the  Lovu, 

March  20th. — The  same  features  of  country  prevailed;  indeed 
it  was  impossible  to  count  the  streams  flowing  north-west.  We 
found  Kasonso  situated  at  the  confluence  of  two  streams;  he 
shook  hands  a  long  while,  and  seems  a  frank  sort  of  man.  A 
shower  of  rain  set  the  driver-ants  on  the  move,  and  about  two 
hours  after  we  had  turned  in  we  were  overwhelmed  by  them. 
They  are  called  kalandu,  or  nkalanda. 

To  describe  this  attack  is  utterly  impossible.  I  wakened  cov- 
ered with  them :  my  hair  was  full  of  them.  One  by  one  they 
cut  into  the  flesh,  and  the  more  they  are  disturbed,  the  more  vi- 
cious arc  their  bites;  they  become  quite  insolent.  I  went  out- 
side the  hut,  but  there  they  swarmed  everywhere;  they  covered 
the  legs,  biting  furiously  ;  it  is  only  when  they  arc  tired  that 
they  leave  ofl". 


168 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


One  good  trait  of  the  Balungu  up  here  is,  they  retire  when  they 
see  food  brought  to  any  one ;  neither  Babisa  nor  Makoa  had  this 
sense  of  deHcacy  :  the  Babemba  are  equally  polite. 

We  have  descended  considerably  into  the  broad  valley  of  the 
Lake,  and  it  feels  warmer  than  on  the  heights.  Cloth  here  is 
more  valuable,  inasmuch  as  bark-cloth  is  scarce.  The  skins  of 
goats  and  wild  animals  are  used,  and  the  kilt  is  very  diminutive 
among  the  women. 

March  lid. —  Cross  Loela,  thirty  feet  wide  and  one  deep,  and 
meet  with  tsetse -fly,  though  we  have  seen  none  since  we  left 
Chitapangwa's.  Kasonso  gave  us  a  grand  reception,  and  we  saw 
men  present  from  Tanganyika.  I  saw  cassava  here,  but  not  in 
plenty. 

March  28th. — Set-in  rain,  and  Chuma  fell  ill.  There  are  cot- 
ton bushes  of  very  large  size  here,  of  the  South  American  kind. 
After  sleeping  in  various  villages  and  crossing  numerous  streams, 
we  came  to  Mombo's  village,  near  the  ridge  overlooking  the  Lake. 

March  31si,  April  1st,  1867. — I  was  too  ill  to  march  through. 
I  offered  to  go  on  the  1st,  but  Kasonso's  son,  who  was  with  us, 
objected.  We  went  up  a  low  ridge  of  hills  at  its  lowest  part,  and 
soon  after  passing  the  summit  the  blue  water  loomed  through  the 
trees.  I  was  detained,  but  soon  heard  the  boys  firing  their  mus- 
kets on  reaching  the  ed2;e  of  the  ridg-e,  which  allowed  of  an  un- 
disturbed  view.  This  is  the  south-eastern  end.  of  Liemba,  or,  as 
it  is  sometimes  called,  Tanganyika.*  We  had  to  descend  at  least 
two  thousand  feet  before  we  got  to  the  level  of  the  Lake.  It 
seems  about  eighteen  or  twenty  miles  broad,  and  we  could  see 
about  thirty  miles  up  to  the  north.  Four  considerable  rivers 
flow  into  the  space  before  us.  The  nearly  perpendicular  ridge 
of  about  two  thousand  feet  extends  with  breaks  all  around,  and 
there,  embosomed  in  tree-covered  rocks,  reposes  the  Lake  peace- 
fully in  the  huge  cup-shaped  cavity. 

I  never  saw  any  thing  so  still  and  peaceful  as  it  lies  all  the 
morning.  About  noon  a  gentle  breeze  springs  up,  and  causes 
the  waves  to  assume  a  bluish  tinge.  Several  rocky  islands  rise 
in  the  eastern  end,  which  are  inhabited  by  fishermen,  who  cap- 
ture abundance  of  fine  large  fish,  of  which  they  enumerate  about 
twenty-four  species.  In  the  north  it  .seems  to  narrow  into  a  gate- 
way;  but  the  people  are  mi.serably  deficient  in  geographical 
knowledge,  and  can  tell  us  nothing  about  it.  They  suspect  us, 
and  we  can  not  get  information,  or  indeed  much  of  any  thing  else. 


♦  It  siibseqiu'iiilv  piovi'il  to  be  ilio  southern  extremity  of  this  great  lake. 


ATTACK  OF  IXSEXSIBILITY. 


169 


I  feel  deeply  thankful  at  having  got  so  far.  I  am  excessively 
weak;  can  not  walk  without  tottering,  and  have  constant  singing 
in  the  head,  but  the  Highest  will  lead  me  farther. 

Latitude  of  the  spot  we  touched  at  first,  April  2d,  1867 :  Lat. 
8°  46'  54"  S.,  long.  31°  57';  but  I  only  worked  out  (and  my 
head  is  out  of  order)  one  set  of  observations.  Height  above  level 
of  the  sea  over  two  thousand  eight  hundred  feet,  by  boiling-point 
thermometers  and  barometer.  The  people  will  not  let  me  sound 
the  Lake. 

After  being  a  fortnight  at  this  Lake,  it  still  appears  one  of  sur- 
passing loveliness.  Its  peacefulness  is  remarkable,  though  at 
times  it  is  said  to  be  lashed  up  by  storms.  It  lies  in  a  deep  basin 
whose  sides  are  nearly  perpendicular,  but  covered  well  with  trees ; 
the  rocks  which  appear  are  bright -red  argillaceous  schist;  the 
trees  at  present  all  green :  down  some  of  these  rocks  come  beau- 
tiful cascades,  and  buffaloes,  elephants,  and  antelopes  wander  and 
graze  on  the  more  level  spots,  while  lions  roar  by  night.  The 
level  place  below  is  not  two  miles  from  the  perpendicular.  The 
village  (Pambete),  at  which  we  first  touched  the  Lake,  is  sur- 
rounded by  palm-oil-trees — not  the  stunted  ones  of  Lake  Nyassa, 
but  the  real  West  Coast  palm-oil-tree,*  requiring  two  men  to  carry 
a  bunch  of  the  ripe  fruit.  In  the  morning  and  evening  huge  croc- 
odiles may  be  observed  quietly  making  their  way  to  their  feed- 
ing-grounds; hippopotami  snort  by  night  and  at  early  morning. 

After  I  had  been  a  few  days  here  I  had  a  fit  of  insensibility, 
which  shows  the  power  of  fever  without  medicine.  I  found  my- 
self floundering  outside  my  hut,  and  unable  to  get  in ;  I  tried  to 
lift  myself  from  my  back  by  laying  hold  of  two  posts  at  the 
entrance,  but  when  I  got  nearly  upright  I  let  them  go,  and  fell 
back  heavily  on  my  head  on  a  box.  The  boys  had  seen  the 
wretched  state  I  was  in,  and  hung  a  blanket  at  the  entrance  of 
the  hut,  that  no  stranger  might  see  my  helplessness :  some  hours 
elapsed  before  I  could  recognize  where  I  was. 

As  for  these  Balungu,  as  they  ai'c  called,  they  have  a  fear  of 
us;  tlicy  do  not  understand  our  objects,  and  they  keep  aloof. 
They  promise  every  thing  and  do  nothing.  But  for  my  excessive 
weakness  wc  should  go  on,  but  we  wait  for  a  recovery  of  strength. 

As  people,  they  are  greatly  reduced  in  numbers  by  the  ^Lazitu, 
wiio  carried  off  very  large  numbers  of  the  women,  boys,  girls,  and 
c-liildren.  They  train,  or  like  to  see  the  young  men  arrayed  as 
Ma/,itii,  but  it  would  be  more  profitable  if  they  kept  them  to  agri- 


♦  Elais,  sp.  (?). 


170 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUBNALS. 


culture.  They  are  all  excessively  polite.  The  clapping  of  hands 
on  meeting  is  something  excessive,  and  then  the  string  of  saluta- 
tions that  accompany  it  would  please  the  most  fastidious  French- 
man. It  implies  real  politeness;  for,  in  marching  with  them, 
they  always  remove  branches  out  of  the  path,  and  indicate  stones 
or  stumps  in  it  carefully  to  a  stranger;  yet  we  can  not  prevail  on 
them  to  lend  carriers  to  examine  the  Lake  or  to  sell  goats,  of 
which,  however,  they  have  very  few,  and  all  on  one  island. 

The  Lake  discharges  its  water  north-westward,  or  rather  north- 
north-westward.  We  observe  weeds  going  in  that  direction; 
and  as  the  Lonzua,  the  Kowe,  the  Kapata,  the  Luaze,  the  Ka- 
lambwe,  flow  into  it  near  the  east  end,  and  the  Lovu,  or  Lofubu, 
or  Lofu,  from  the  south-west  near  the  end,  it  must  find  an  exit 
for  so  much  water.  All  these  rivers  rise  in  or  near  the  Mambwd 
country,  in  lat.  10°  S.,  where,  too,  the  Chambeze  rises.  Liemba 
is  said  to  remain  of  about  the  same  size  as  we  go  north-west ;  but 
this  we  shall  see  for  ourselves. 

Elephants  come  all  about  us.  One  was  breaking  trees  close 
by.  I  fired  into  his  ear  without  effect :  I  am  too  weak  to  hold 
the  gun  steadily. 

April  BOth. — We  begin  our  return  march  from  Licmba.  Slept 
at  a  village  on  the  Lake,  and  went  on  next  day  to  Pambcte,  where 
we  first  touched  it.  I  notice  that  here  the  people  pound  tobacco- 
leaves  in  a  mortar  after  they  have  undergone  partial  fermenta- 
tion by  lying  in  the  sun ;  then  they  put  the  mass  in  the  sun  to 
dry  for  use. 

The  reason  why  no  palm-oil-trees  grow  farther  east  than  Pam- 
bete  is  said  to  be  the  stony  soil  there ;  and  this  seems  a  valid  one, 
for  it  loves  rich  loamy  meadows. 

May  1st,  1867. — We  intended  to  go  north-west  to  see  whether  this 
Lake  narrows  or  not;  for  all  assert  that  it  maintains  its  breadth 
such  as  we  see  it  beyond  Pemba  as  far  as  they  know  it ;  but 
when  about  to  start,  the  head  man  and  his  wife  came  and  pro- 
tested so  solemnly  that  b}''  going  north-west  we  sliould  walk  into 
the  hands  of  a  party  of  Mazitu  there,  that  we  deferred  our  de- 
parture. It  was  not  with  a  full  persua.sion  of  the  truth  of  tlie 
statement  that  I  consented,  but  we  afterward  saw  good  evidence 
that  it  was  true,  and  that  we  were  saved  from  being  plundered. 
These  marauders  have  clianged  their  tactics;  for  they  dcMnand  so 
many  people,  and  so  many  cloths,  and  then  leave.  They  made 
it  known  that  their  next  scene  of  luulcting  would  be  Mombo's 
village,  and  tliere  they  took  twelve  ])eople — four  slaves,  and 
many  cloths,  then  went  south  to  the  hills  tlicy  inhabit.    A  strict 


DR.  LIVINGSTONE  DANGEROUSLY  ILL.  171 

watch  was  kept  on  their  movements  by  our  head  man  and  his 
men.  They  trust  to  fleeing  into  a  thicket  on  the  west  of  the  vil- 
Lnge,  should  the  Mazitu  come. 

I  have  been  informed  on  good  authority  that  Kasonso  was  on 
his  way  to  us  when  news  arrived  that  his  young  son  had  died. 
He  had  sent  on  beer  and  provisions  for  us;  but  the  Mazitu  inter- 
vening, they  were  consumed. 

The  Mazitu  having  left,  we  departed,  and  slept  half-way  up 
the  ridge.  I  had  another  fit  of  insensibility  last  niglit:  the  mus- 
cles of  the  back  lose  all  power,*  and  there  is  constant  singing  in 
the  ears,  and  inability  to  do  the  simplest  sum.  Cross  the  Aeeze 
(which  makes  the  water-fall),  fifteen  yards  wide  and  knee-deep. 
The  streams  like  this  are  almost  innumerable. 

Mombo's  village.  It  is  distressingly  difficult  to  elicit  accurate 
information  about  the  Lake  and  rivers,  because  the  people  do  not 
think  accurately.  Mombo  declared  that  two  Arabs  came  when 
we  were  below,  and  inquired  for  us ;  but  he  denied  our  presence, 
thinking  thereby  to  save  us  trouble  and  harm. 

The  cotton  cultivated  is  of  the  Pernambuco  species,  and  the 
bushes  are  seven  or  eight  feet  high.  Much  cloth  was  made  in 
these  parts  before  the  Mazitu  raids  began  :  it  was  striped  black 
and  white,  and  many  shawls  are  seen  in  the  country  yet.  It  is 
curious  that  this  species  of  cotton  should  be  found  only  in  the 
middle  of  this  country. 

In  going  westward  on  the  upland,  the  country  is  level,  and  cov- 
ered with  scraggy  forest  as  usual :  long  lines  of  low  hills,  or  rather 
ridges,  of  denudation  run  north  and  south  on  our  east.  This  is 
called  Moami  country,  full  of  elephants,  but  few  are  killed.  They 
do  much  damage,  eating  the  sorghum  in  the  gardens  unmolested. 

May  \llh. — A  short  march  to-day  brought  us  to  a  village  on 
the  same  Moaini,  and,  to  avoid  a  Sunday  in  the  forest,  we  remain- 
ed. The  elephants  had  come  into  the  village  and  gone  all  about 
it,  and,  to  prevent  their  opening  the  corn-safes,  the  people  had  be- 
daubed them  with  elephant's  droppings.  When  a  cow  would  not 
give  milk,  save  to  its  calf,  a  like  device  was  used  at  Kolobeng; 
the  cow's  droppings  were  smeared  on  the  teats,  and  the  calf  was 
too  much  disgusted  to  suck :  the  cow  then  ran  till  she  was  dis- 
tressed by  the  milk  fever,  and  was  willing  to  bo  relieved  by  the 
herdsman. 

May  I2t/t,  IBth. — News  that  the  Arabs  had  been  fighting  with 


♦  This  is  n  common  symptom  ;  men  will  siidilunly  lose  all  power  in  the  lower  cx- 
tieinitics,  and  remain  helpless  where  they  fall. — Ed. 


172 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Nsama  came ;  but  this  made  us  rather  anxious  to  get  northward 
along  Liemba,  and  we  made  for  Mokambola's  viHage,  near  the 
edge  of  the  precipice  which  overhangs  the  Lake.  Many  Shuard 
Raphia  palms  grow  in  the  river  which  flows  past  it. 

As  we  began  our  descent,  we  saw  the  Lofu  coming  from  the  west 
and  entering  Liemba.  A  projection  of  Liemba  comes  to  meet  it, 
and  then  it  is  said  to  go  away  to  the  north  or  north-west  as  far  as 
ray  informants  knew.  Some  pointed  due  north,  others  north- 
west ;  so,  probably,  its  true  course  amounts  to  north-north-west. 
We  came  to  a  village  about  2'  west  of  the  confluence,  whose  head 
man  was  affable  and  generous.  The  village  has  a  meadow  some 
four  miles  wide  on  the  land  side,  in  which  buffaloes  disport  them- 
selves; but  they  are  very  wild,  and  hide  in  the  gigantic  grasses. 
Sorghum,  ground-nuts,  and  voandzeia  grow  luxuriantly.  The 
Lofu  is  a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide,  but  higher  up  three  hundred 
yards.  The  valley  was  always  clouded  over  at  night,  so  I  could 
not  get  an  observation  except  early  in  the  morning,  when  the  cold 
had  dissipated  the  clouds. 

We  remained  here  because  two  were  lame,  and  all  tired  by 
the  descent  of  upward  of  two  thousand  feet,  and  the  head  man 
sent  for  fish  for  us.  He  dissuaded  us  strongly  from  attempting 
to  go  down  the  Liemba,  as  the  son  of  Nsama  (Kapoma)  was  kill- 
ing all  who  came  that  way  in  revenge  for  what  the  Arabs  had 
done  to  his  father's  people,  and  he  might  take  us  for  Arabs.  A 
Suaheli  Arab  came  in  the  evening,  and  partly  confirmed  the 
statements  of  the  head  man  of  Karambo ;  I  resolved,  therefore, 
to  go  back  to  Chitimba's,  in  the  south,  where  the  chief  portion  of 
the  Arabs  are  assembled,  and  hear  from  them  more  certainly. 

The  last  we  heard  of  Liemba  was  that  at  a  great  way  north- 
west it  is  dammed  up  by  rocks,  and  where  it  surmounts  these 
there  is  a  great  water-fall.  It  does  not,  it  is  said,  diminish  in  size 
so  far,  but  by  bearings  protracted  it  is  two  miles  wide. 

Jfaij  ISth.  —  Return  to  Mokambola's  village,  and  leave  for 
Chitimba's.  Baraka  stopped  behind  at  the  village,  and  James 
lan  away  to  him,  leaving  his  bundle,  containing  three  chronome- 
ters, in  the  path:  I  sent  back  for  them,  and  James  came  up  in 
the  evening;  he  had  no  complaint,  and  no  excuse  to  make.  The 
two  think  it  will  be  easy  to  return  to  their  own  country  by  beg- 
ging, though  they  could  not  point  it  out  to  me  when  we  were 
much  nearer  to  where  it  is  supposed  to  be. 

Jlfaij  19///. — Where  we  were  brought  to  a  stand-still  was  miser- 
ably cold  (55°),  so  we  had  prayers,  and  went  on  south  and  south- 
west to  the  village  of  Chisaka. 


AX  IMBROGLIO. 


173 


May  20th. — Cbitiinba's  village  was  near  in  the  same  direction  ; 
here  we  found  a  large  party  of  Arabs,  mostly  black  Suahelis. 
They  occupied  an  important  portion  of  the  stockaded  village, 
and,  when  I  came  in,  politely  showed  me  to  a  shed  where  they 
are  in  the  habit  of  meeting.  After  explaining  whence  I  had 
come,  I  showed  them  the  Sultan's  letter.  Hamees  presented  a 
goat,  two  fowls,  and  a  quantity  of  flour.  It  was  difficult  to  get  to 
the  bottom  of  the  Nsama  affair;  but,  according  to  their  version, 
that  chief  sent  an  invitation  to  them,  and,  when  they  arrived, 
called  for  his  people,  who  came  in  crowds — as  he  said  to  view 
the  strangers.  I  suspect  that  the  Arabs  became  afraid  of  the 
crowds,  and  began  to  fire :  several  were  killed  on  both  sides,  and 
Nsama  fled,  leaving  his  visitors  in  possession  of  the  stockaded 
village  and  all  it  contained.  Others  say  that  there  was  a  dispute 
about  an  elephant,  and  that  Nsania's  people  were  the  aggressors. 
At  any  rate,  it  is  now  all  confusion ;  those  who  remain  at  Nsama's 
village  help  themselves  to  food  in  the  surrounding  villages  and 
burn  them,  while  Chitimba  has  sent  for  the  party  who  are  quar- 
tered here  to  come  to  him.  An  hour  or  two  after  we  arrived,  a 
body  of  men  came  from  Kasonso  with  the  intention  of  proceed- 
ing into  the  country  of  Nsama,  and,  if  possible,  catching  Nsama, 
"he  having  broken  public  law  by  attacking  people  who  brought 
merchandise  into  the  country."  This  new  expedition  makes  the 
Arabs  resolve  to  go  and  do  what  they  can  to  injure  their  enemy. 
It  will  ju.st  be  a  plundering  foray — each  catching  what  he  can, 
whether  animal  or  human,  and  retiring  when  it  is  no  longer  safe 
to  plunder ! 

This  throws  the  barrier  of  a  broad  country  between  me  and 
Lake  "Moero"  in  the  west,  but  I  trust  in  Providence  a  way  will 
be  opened.  I  think  now  of  going  southward,  and  then  westward, 
thus  making  a  long  detour  round  the  disturbed  district. 

The  name  of  the  principal  Arab  is  Ilamees  Wodim  Tagh,  the 
other  is  Syde  bin  Alle  bin  Mansure:  they  are  connected  with 
one  of  the  most  influential  native  mercantile  houses  in  Zanzibar. 
Ilamees  has  been  particularly  kind  to  me  in  presenting  food, 
beads,  cloth,  and  getting  information. 

Thami  bin  Suaclim  is  the  Arab  to  whom  my  goods  are  direct- 
ed at  Ujiji. 

May  24///. — At  Chitimba's  we  are  waiting  to  see  what  events 
turn  up  to  throw  light  on  our  western  route.  Some  of  the  vVrabs 
and  Kasonso's  men  went  off  to-day :  they  will  bring  information, 
perhap.s,  as  to  Nsama's  haunts,  and  then  we  shall  move  south  and 
thence  west.     Wrote  to  Sir  Thomas  Macloar,  giving  the  position 


174 


LiriXGSTOXE  S  LAST  JOURXALS. 


of  Liemba.  and  to  Dr.  Seward,  in  case  other  letters  miscarry.  The 
hot  season  is  beginning  now.  This  corresponds  to  July  farther 
south. 

Three  goats  were  killed  b}-  a  leopard  close  to  the  village  in 
open  da}'. 

May  28(h. — Information  came  that  Ksama  begged  pardon  of 
the  Arabs,  and  would  pay  all  that  they  had  lost.  He  did  not 
know  of  his  people  stealing  from  them :  we  shall  hear  in  a  day 
or  two  whether  the  matter  is  to  be  patched  up  or  not.  While 
some  believe  his  statements,  others  say,  "Nsama's  words  of  peace 
are  simply  to  gain  time  to  make  another  stockade:"  in  the  mean 
time,  Kasonso's  people  will  ravage  all  his  country  on  this  eastern 
side. 

Hamees  is  very  anxious  that  I  should  remain  a  few  days  long- 
er, till  Kasonso's  son,  Kampamba,  comes  with  certain  informa- 
tion, and  then  he  will  see  to  our  passing  safely  to  Chiwere's  vil- 
lage from  Kasonso's.  All  have  confidence  in  this  last-named 
chief  as  an  upright  man. 

June  1st,  1867. — Another  party  of  marauders  went  off  this 
morning  to  plunder  Nsama's  country  to  the  west  of  the  conflu- 
ence of  the  Lofu,  as  a  punishment  for  a  breach  of  public  law. 
The  men  employed  are  not  very  willing  to  go,  but  when  they 
taste  the  pleasure  of  plunder,  they  will  relish  it  more! 

The  water-shed  begins  to  have  a  northern  slope  about  Moam- 
ba's,  lat.  10°  10'  S. ;  but  the  streams  are  very  tortuous,  and  the 
people  have  very  confused  ideas  as  to  where  they  run.  The 
Lokhopa,  for  instance,  was  asserted  by  all  the  men  at  Moamba's 
to  flow  into  Lokholu,  and  then  into  a  river  going  to  Liemba; 
but  a  young  wife  of  Moamba,  who  seemed  very  intelligent,  main- 
tained that  Lokhopa  and  Lokholu  went  to  the  Chanibczc ;  I 
therefore  put  it  down  thus.  The  streams  which  feed  the  Cham- 
bezd  and  the  Liemba  overlap  each  other,  and  it  would  require  a 
more  extensive  survey  than  I  can  give  to  disentangle  them. 

North  of  Moamba,  on  the  Merengd,  the  slope  begins  to  Liemba. 
The  Lofu  rises  in  Chibud's  country,  and,  with  its  tributaries,  we 
have  long  ridges  of  denudation,  each  some  five  hundred  or  six 
hundred  feet  high,  and  covered  with  green  trees.  The  valleys 
of  denudation  inclosed  by  these  hill-ranges  guide  the  streams  to- 
ward Liemba,  or  the  four  rivers  which  flow  into  it.  The  coun- 
try gradually  becomes  lower,  warmer,  and  tsetse  and  mosquitoes 
appear;  so  at  last  wc  come  to  the  remarkable  cup-shaped  cavity 
in  which  Liemba  reposes.  Several  streams  fall  down  the  nearly 
perpendicular  cliffs,  and  form  beautiful  cascades.    Tlie  lines  of 


ii 


THE  ARABS'  KIND  FORETHOUGHT. 


175 


denudation  are  continued,  one  range  rising  behind  another  as  far 
as  the  eye  can  reach  to  the  north  and  east  of  Liemba,  and  proba- 
bly the  slope  continues  away  down  to  Tanganyika.  The  water- 
shed extends  westward  to  beyond  Casembe,  and  the  Luapula,  or 
Chambeze,  rises  in  the  same  parallels  of  latitude  as  does  the  Lofu 
and  the  Lonzua. 

The  Arabs  inform  me  that  between  this  and  the  sea,  about  two 
hundred  miles  distant,  lies  the  country  of  the  Wasango — called 
Usango  —  a  fair  people,  like  Portuguese,  and  very  friendly  to 
strangers.  The  Wasango  possess  plenty  of  cattle  :  their  chief  is 
called  Merere.'^  They  count  this  twenty-five  days,  while  the 
distance  thence  to  the  sea  at  Bagamoio  is  one  month  and  twenty- 
five  days — say  four  hundred  and  forty  miles.  Ucher6  is  very 
far  off  northward,  but  a  man  told  me  that  he  went  to  a  salt  manu- 
factory in  that  direction  in  eight  days  from  Kasonso's.  Merere 
goes  frequently  on  marauding  expeditions  for  cattle,  and  is  insti- 
gated thereto  by  his  mother. 

What  we  understand  by  primeval  forest  is  but  seldom  seen  in 
the  interior  here,  though  the  country  can  not  be  described  other- 
wise than  as  generally  covered  with  interminable  forests.  In- 
sects kill  or  dwarf  some  trees,  and  men  maim  others  for  the  sake 
of  the  bark-cloth;  elephants  break  down  a  great  number,  and  it 
is  only  here  and  there  that  gigantic  specimens  are  seen  :  they 
may  be  expected  in  shut-in  valleys  among  mountains,  but.  on  the 
whole,  the  trees  are  scraggy,  and  the  •»^arieties  not  great.  The  dif- 
ferent sorts  of  birds  which  sing  among  the  branches  seem  to  me 
to  exceed  those  of  the  Zambesi  region,  but  I  do  not  shoot  them  : 
the  number  of  new  notes  I  hear  astonishes  me. 

The  country  in  which  we  now  are  is  called  by  the  Arabs  and 
natives  Ulungu,  that  farther  north-west  is  named  Marungu.  Ha- 
mees  is  on  friendly  terms  with  the  Mazitu  (Watuta)  in  the  east, 
who  do  not  plunder.  The  chief  sent  a  man  to  Kasonso  lately, 
and  he,  having  received  a  present,  went  away  highly  pleased. 

Ilamecs  is  certainly  very  anxious  to  secure  my  safety.  Some 
men  came  from  the  north-east  to  inquire  about  the  disturbance 
here,  and  they  recommend  that  I  should  go  with  them,  and  then 
up  the  east  side  of  the  Lake  to  Ujiji ;  but  that  would  ruin  my 
*  plan  of  discovering  Moero  and  afterward  following  the  water-shed, 
so  as  to  be  certain  that  this  is  either  the  water-shed  of  the  Congo 
or  Nile.  lie  was  not  well  pleased  when  I  preferred  to  go  soutli 
and  then  westward,  as  it  looks  like  rejecting  his  counsel;  but  he 


*  The  men  heard  in  1873  that  he  hiid  been  killed. 


176 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


said  if  I  waited  till  his  people  came,  then  we  should  be  able  to 
speak  with  more  certainty. 

On  inquiring  if  any  large  mountains  exist  in  this  country,  I 
was  told  that  Moufipa,  or  Fipa,  opposite  the  lower  end  of  the 
Lake,  is  largest — one  can  see  Tanganyika  from  it.  It  probably 
gives  rise  to  the  Nl^alanibwe  Kiver  and  the  Lnaze. 

There  is  nothing  interesting  in  a  heathen  town.  All  are  busy 
in  preparing  food  or  clothing,  mats  or  baskets,  while  the  women 
are  cleaning  or  grinding  their  corn,  which  involves  much  hard 
labor.  They  first  dry  this  in  the  sun,  then  put  it  into  a  mortar, 
and  afterward  with  a  flat -basket  clean  off  the  husks  and  the  dust, 
and  grind  it  between  two- stones ;  the  next  thing  is  to  bring  v/ood 
and  water  to  cook  it.  The  chief  here  was  aroused  the  other  day, 
and  threatened  to  burn  his  own  house  and  all  bis  property  be- 
cause the  people  stole  from  it,  but  he  did  not  proceed  so  far:  it 
was  probably  a  way  of  letting  the  Arab  dependents  know  that 
he  was  aroused. 

Some  of  the  people  who  went  to  fight  attacked  a  large  village, 
and  killed  several  men ;  but  in  shooting  in  a  bushy  place,  they 
killed  one  of  their  own  party  and  wounded  another. 

On  inquiring  of  an  Arab  who  had  sailed  on  Tanganyika  which 
way  the  water  flowed,  he  replied  to  the  south ! 

The  wagtails  build  in  the  thatch  of  the  huts;  they  are  busy, 
and  men  and  other  animals  are  active  in  the  same  wa3^ 

I  am  rather  perplexed  how  to  proceed.  Some  Arabs  seem  de- 
termined to  go  westward  as  soon  as  they  can  make  it  up  with 
Nsama,  while  others  distrust  him.  One  man  will  send  his  peo- 
ple to  pick  up  what  ivory  they  can,  but  he  himself  will  retire  to 
the  Usango  country.  Nsama  is  expected  to-day  or  to-morrow. 
It  would  be  such  a  saving  of  time  and  fatigue  for  us  to  go  due 
west  rather  than  south,  and  then  west,  but  I  feel  great  hesitation 
as  to  setting  out  on  the  circuitous  route.  Several  Arabs  came 
from  the  Liemba  side  yesterday ;  one  had  sailed  on  Tanganyika, 
and  described  the  winds  there  as  very  baflling,  but  no  one  of 
tlicm  has  a  clear  idea  of  the  Lake.  They  described  the  lower 
part  as  a  "sea,"  and  thought  it  different  from  Tanganyika. 

Close  observation  of  the  natives  of  Ulungu  makes  me  believe 
them  to  be  extremely  polite.  The  mode  of  salutation  among 
relatives  is  to  place  the  hands  round  each  other's  chests  kneeling; 
they  then  clap  their  hands  close  to  the  ground.  Some  more  ab- 
ject individuals  kiss  the  soil  before  a  chief;  the  generality  kneel 
only,  with  the  forearms  close  to  the  ground,  and  the  head  bowed 
■down  to  them,  saying,  "O  Ajadla  chiusa,  ^lari  a  bwino."  The 


A  PEACE-MAEER. 


177 


Usanga  say,  "Aje  senga."  The  clapping  of  hands  to  superiors, 
and  even  equals,  is  in  some  villages  a  perpetually  recurring  sound. 
Aged  persons  are  usually  saluted :  how  this  extreme  deference  to 
each  other  could  have  arisen  I  can  not  conceive :  it  does  not  seem 
to  be  fear  of  each  other  that  elicits  it.  Even  the  chiefs  inspire 
no  fear,  and  those  cruel  old  platitudes  about  governing  savages 
by  fear  seem  unknown,  yet  governed  they  certainly  are,  and  upon 
the  whole  very  well.  The  people  were  not  very  willing  to  go  to 
punish  Nsama's  breach  of  public  law  ;  yet,  on  the  decision  of  the 
chiefs,  they  went,  and  came  back,  one  with  a  wooden  stool,  an- 
other with  a  mat,  a  third  with  a  calabash  of  ground-nuts  or  some 
dried  meat,  a  hoe,  or  a  bow — poor,  poor  pay  for  a  fortnight's  hard 
work  hunting  fugitives  and  burning  villages. 

June  16th. — News  came  to-day  that  an  Arab  party  in  the  south- 
west, in  Lunda,  lost  about  forty  people  by  the  small-pox  ("  ndue"), 
and  that  the  people  there,  having  heard  of  the  disturbance  with 
Nsama,  fled  from  the  Arabs,  and  would  sell  neither  ivory  nor 
food:  this  looks  like  another  obstacle  to  our  progress  thither. 

June  17th-19th. — Hamees  went  to  meet  the  party  from  the 
south-west,  probably  to  avoid  bringing  the  small-pox  here.  They 
remain  at  about  two  hours"  distance.  Hamees  reports  that  though 
the  strangers  had  lost  a  great  many  people  by  small-pox,  they  had 
brought  good  news  of  certain  Arabs  still  farther  west:  one,  Seide 
ben  Umale,  or  Salem,  lived  at  a  village  near  Casembe,  ten  days 
distant;  and  another.  Jama  Mcrikano,  or  Katata  Katanga,  at  an- 
other village  farther  north  ;  and  Seide  ben  Ilabib  was  at  Phueto, 
which  is  nearer  Tanganyika.  This  party  comprises  the  whole 
force  of  Hamees;  and  he  now  declares  that  he  will  go  to  Nsama 
and  make  the  matter  up,  as  he  thinks  that  he  is  afraid  to  come 
here,  and  so  he  will  make  the  first  approach  to  friendship. 

On  pondering  over  the  whole  subject,  I  see  that,  tiresome  as  it 
is  to  wait,  it  is  better  to  do  so  than  go  south  and  then  west;  for 
if  I  should  go  I  shall  miss  seeing  Moero,  which  is  said  to  be  three 
days  from  Nsama's  present  abode.  His  people  go  there  for  salt, 
and  I  could  not  come  to  it  from  the  south  without  being  known 
to  them,  and  perhaps  considered  to  be  an  Arab.  Hamees  remark- 
ed that  it  was  the  Arab  way  first  to  smooth  the  path  before  enter- 
ing upon  it;  sending  men  and  presents  first,  thereby  ascertain- 
ing the  disposition  of  the  itdiabitants.  He  advises  patience,  and 
is  in  hopes  of  making  a  peace  with  Nsama.  That  his  hopes  arc 
not  unreasonable,  he  mentioned  that  when  the  disturbance  began, 
Nsama  sent  men  with  two  tusks  to  the  village  whence  he  had 
just  been  expelled,  ollering  thereby  to  inake  the  matter  up  ;  but 


178 


LinXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUEXALS. 


the  Arabs,  suspecting  treachery,  fired  upon  the  carriers  and  killed 
them;  then  ten  goats  and  one  tusk  were  sent  with  the  same  ob- 
ject, and  met  with  a  repulse;  Hamees  thinks  that  had  he  been 
there  himself  the  whole  matter  would  have  been  settled  amicably. 

All  complain  of  cold  here.  The  situation  is  elevated,  and  we 
are  behind  a  clump  of  trees  on  the  rivulet  Chiloa,  which  keeps 
the  sun  off  us  in  the  mornings.  This  cold  induces  the  people  to 
make  big  fires  in  their  huts,  and  frequently  their  dwellings  are 
burned.    Minimum  temperature  is  as  low  as  46° ;  sometimes  33°. 

June  24:th. — The  Arabs  are  all  busy  reading  their  Koran,  or 
Kuran,  and  in  praying  f6r  direction.  To-morrow  they  will  call  a 
meeting  to  deliberate  as  to  what  steps  they  will  take  in  the  Nsama 
affair.  Hamees,  it  seems,  is  highly  thought'of  by  that  chief,  who 
says,  "Let  him  come,  and  all  will  be  right."  Hamees  proposes 
to  go  with  but  a  few  people.  •  These  Zanzibar  men  are  very  dif- 
ferent from  the  slavers  of  the  Waij'au  country. 

June  2bth. — The  people,  though  called,  did  not  assemble,  but 
they  will  come  to-morrow. 

Young  wagtails  nearly  full-fledged  took  wing,  leaving  one  in 
the  nest:  from  not  being  molested  by  the  people,  they  took  no 
precautions,  and  ran  out  of  the  nest  on  the  approach  of  the  old 
ones,  making  a  loud  chirping.  The  old  ones  tried  to  induce  the 
last  one  to  come  out  too,  by  flying  to  the  nest,  and  then  making 
a  sally  forth,  turning  round  immediately  to  see  if  he  followed : 
he  took  a  few  days  longer. 

It  was  decided  at  the  meeting  that  Hamees,  with  a  few  people 
onljf,  should  go  to  Nsama  on  the  first  day  after  the  appearance 
of  the  new  moon  (they  are  very  particular  on  this  point).  The 
present  month  having  been  an  unhappy  one,  they  will  try  the 
next. 

June28ih. — A  wedding  took  place  among  the  Arabs  to-day. 
About  a  hundred  blank  cartridges  were  fired  off,  and  a  proces- 
sion of  males,  dressed  in  their  best,  marched  through  the  village. 
They  sang  with  all  their  might,  though  with  but  little  music  in 
the  strain.  Women  sprinkled  grain  on  their  heads,  as  wishes  for 
plenty.* 

Nsama  is  said  to  be  waiting  for  the  Arabs  in  his  new  stockade. 
It  is  impossible  to  ascertain  exactly  who  is  to  blame  in  this  mat- 
ter, for  I  hear  one  side  only  ;  but  the  fact  of  the  chiefs  in  tliis 
part  of  the  country  turning  out  so  readily  to  punish  his  breach  of 


*  This  comes  near  to  the  custom  of  thiowing  rice  after  the  bride  and  bridegroom 
ill  England. — Ed. 


AX  EABTHQUAKE. 


179 


public  law,  and  no  remonstrance  coming  from  him,  makes  me 
suspect  that  Nsama  is  the  guilty  party.  If  he  had  been  innocent 
he  certainly  would  have  sent  to  ask  the  Bulungu,  or  Baulungu, 
why  they  had  attacked  his  people  without  cause. 

[Here  is  an  entry  concerning  the  tribe  living  far  to  the  east] 

The  Wasongo  seem  much  like  Zulus  :  they  go  naked,  and  have 
prodigious  numbers  of  cattle,  which  occupy  the' same  huts  with 
their  owners.  Oxen  two  shukahs  each  ;  plenty  of  milk.  Merdre 
is  very  liberal  with  his  cattle,  and  gives  every  one  an  ox.  There 
is  no  rice,  but  maize  and  maere.  Hamees  left  the  people  to  cul- 
tivate rice.  Mercrc  had  plenty  of  ivory  when  the  Arabs  came 
first,  but  now  has  none. 

July  1st,  1867. — New  moon  to-day.  They  arc  very  particular 
as  to  the  time  of  offering  up  prayers,  and  in  making  charms. 
One  to-night  was  at  10  p.m.  exactly* 

A  number  of  cabalistic  figures  were  drawn  b}^  Ilalfani,  and  it 
is  believed  that  by  these  Nsama's  whereabouts  may  be  ascertain- 
ed :  they  are  probably  remains  of  the  secret  arts  which  prevailed 
among  Arabs  before  Mohammed  appeared.  These  Suaheli  Arabs 
appear  to  have  come  down  the  coast  before  that  prophet  was  born. 

Juhj  Bd. —  Kasonso's  people  arc  expected.  All  the  captives 
that  were  taken  are  to  be  returned,  and  a  quantity  of  cloth  given 
to  Nsama  in  addition  :  so  far  all. seems  right.  The  new  moon  will 
appear  to-night.  The  Arabs  count  from  one  appearance  to  the 
next;  not,  as  we  do,  from  its  conjunction  with  the  sun  to  the  next. 

July  4:th. — Katawanya  came  from  near  Licmba  to  join  the 
peace-makers.  He  and  his  party  arrived  at  Licmba  after  we  did: 
he  sent  his  people  all  round  to  seek  ivory.  They  do  not  care  for 
any  thing  but  ivory,  and  can  not  understand  why  I  do  not  do  the 
same. 

July  Gtli. — An  earthquake  happened  at  3.30  P.M.,  accompanied 
witli  a  hollow  rumbling  sound:  it  made  me  feel  as  if  afloat,  but 
it  lasted  only  a  few  seconds.  The  boys  came  running  to  ask  mc 
what  it  was.  Nowhere  could  it  be  safer:  the  huts  will  not  fall, 
and  there  are  no  liigii  rocks  near.  Barometer,  2;j"0  ;  temperature, 
5'.    Heavy  cumuli  hanging  about;  no  rain  afterward. 

July  7th. — Hamees  started  this  morning  with  about  three  hun- 
dred followers  dressed  in  all  their  finery,  and  he  declares  that 
his  sole  object  is  peace.  Ka.sonso,  Mombo,  Cliitimba  send  their 
people,  and  go  themselves  to  lend  all  their  influence  in  favor  of 
peace.    Syde  stops  here.    Before  starting,  Sydu  put  some  incense 


180 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUBNALS. 


on  hot  coals,  and  all  the  leaders  of  the  party  joined  in  a  short 
prayer:  they  seem  earnest  and  sincere  in  their  incantations,  ac- 
cording to  their  knowledge  and  belief.  I  wished  to  go  too,  but  ' 
Hamees  objected,  as  ndt  being  quite  sure  whether  Nsama  would 
be  friendly,  and  he  would  not  like  any  thing  to  befall  me  when 
with  him. 

July  8th. — Kasonso  found  an  excuse  for  not  going  himself. 
Two  men — -Arabs,  it  was  said — came  to  Chibue's  and  were  there 
killed,  and  Kasonso  must  go  to  see  about  it.  The  people  who 
go  carry  food  with  them,  evidently  not  intending  to  live  by  plun- 
der this  time. 

While  the  peace -makers  are  gone,  I  am  employing  time  in 
reading  Smith's  "Bible  Dictionary,"  and  calculating  different  po- 
sitions which  have  stood  over  in  traveling.  I  do  not  succeed  well 
in  the  Baulungu  dialect. 

The  owners  of  huts  lent  to  strangers  have  a  great  deal  of  toil 
in  consequence :  they  have  to  clean  them  after  the  visitors  have 
withdrawn ;  then,  in  addition  to  this,  to  clean  thefnselves,  all 
soiled  by  the  dust  left  by  the  lodgers :  their  bodies  and  clothes 
have  to  be  cleansed  afterward :  they  add  food,  too,  in  all  cases  of 
acquaintanceship,  and  then  we  have  to  remember  the  labor  of 
preparing  that  food.  My  remaining  here  enables  me  to  observe 
that  both  men  and  women  are  in  almost  constant  employment 
The  men  are  making  mats,  or  weaving,  or  spinning;  no  one: 
could  witness  their  assiduity  in  their  little  affairs  and  conclude 
that  they  were  a  lazy  people.  The  only  idle  time  I  observe  here 
is  in  the  mornings  about  seven  o'clock,  when  all  come  and  sit  to 
catch  the  first  rays  of  the  sun  as  he  comes  over  our  clump  of 
trees;  but  even  that  time  is  often  taken  as  an  opportunity  for 
stringing  beads. 

I  hear  that  some  of  Nsama's  people  crossed  the  Lovu  at  Ka- 
rambo  to  plunder,  in  retaliation  for  what  they  have  suffered; 
and  the  people  there  were  afraid  to  fish,  lest  they  should  be 
caught  by  them  at  a  distance  from  their  stockades. 

The  Baulungu  men  are  in  general  tall  and  well  formed:  they 
use  bows  over  six  feet  in  length,  and  but  little  bent.  The  facial 
angle  is  as  good  in  most  cases  as  in  Europeans,  and  they  have 
certainly  as  little  of  the  "  lark-heel "  as  whites.  One  or  two  of 
the  under  front  teeth  arc  generally  knocked  out  in  women,  and 
also  in  men. 

Jubj  lilh. — Sydc  added  to  his  other  presents  some  more  beads: 
all  have  been  very  kind,  which  I  attribute  in  a  great  measure  to 
Scyed  Mnjid's  letter.    JIamees  crossed  the  Lovu  to-day  at  a  ford- 


DELAY,  AND  A  CONFLAGBATIOX. 


181 


^able  spot.  The  people  on  the  other  side  refused  to  go  with  a 
message  to  Nsama,  so  Hamees  had  to  go  and  compel  them  by 
destroying  their  stockade.  A  second  village  acted  in  the  same 
way,  though  told  that  it  was  only  peace  that  was  sought  of 
Nsama:  this  stockade  suffered  the  same  fate,  and  then  the  peo- 
ple went  to  Nsama,  and  he  showed  no  reluctance  to  have  inter- 
course. He  gave  abundance  of  food,  pombe,  and  bananas ;  the 
country  being  extremely  fertile.  Nsama  also  came  and  ratified 
the  peace  by  drinking  blood  with  several  of  the  underlings  of 
Hamees.  He  is  said  to  be  an  enormously  bloated  old  man,  who 
can  not  move  unless  carried,  and  women  are  constantly  in  at- 
tendance pouring  pombe  into  him.  He  gave  Hamees  ten  tusks, 
and  promised  him  twenty  more,  and  also  to  endeavor  to  make 
his  people  return  what  goods  they  plundered  from  the  Arabs, 
and  he  is  to  send  his  people  over  here  to  call  us  after  the  new 
moon  appears. 

It  is  tiresome  beyond  measure  to  wait  so  long;  but  I  hope  to 
see  Moero  for  this  exercise  of  patience,  and  I  could  not  have  vis- 
ited it  had  Hamees  not  succeeded  in  making  peace. 

Jiibj  11  til. —  A.  lion  roared  very  angrily  at  the  village  last 
night:  he  was  probably  following  the  buflaloes  that  sometimes 
come  here  to  drink  at  night:  they  are  all  very  shy,  and  so  is  all 
the  game,  from  fear  of  arrows. 

A  curious  disease  has  attacked  my  left  eyelid  and  surrounding 
parts  :  a  slight  degree  of  itchiness  is  followed  by  great  swelling 
of  the  part:  it  must  be  a  sort  of  lichen.  Exposure  to  the  sun 
seems  to  cure  it,  and  this  leads  me  to  take  long  walks  therein. 
This  is  about  30°  19'  E.  long. ;  lat.  8°  57'  55"  S. 

July  24:th. — A  fire  broke  out  at  4  a.m.,  and,  there  being  no 
wind,  the  straw  roofs  were  cleared  off  in  front  of  it  on  our  side  of 
the  village.'  The  granaries  were  easily  unroofed,  as  the  roof  is 
not  attached  to  the  walls;  and  the  Arabs  tried  to  clear  a  space 
on  their  side,  but  were  unable,  and  then  moved  all  their  ivory 
and  goods  outside  the  stockade.  Their  side  of  the  village  was 
all  consumed,  and  three  goats  perished  in  the  flames. 

Chitimba  has  left  us  from  a  fear  of  his  life,  he  says.  It  is  prob- 
able that  he  means  this  flight  to  be  used  as  an  excuse  to  Nsama 
after  we  are  gone.  "And  I,  too,  was  obliged  to  flee  from  my  vil- 
lage to  save  my  life!  What  could  I  do?"  This  is  to  be  his  ar- 
gument, I  suspect. 

A  good  many  slaves  came  from  the  two  villages  that  were  de- 
stroyed:  on  inquiry,  I  was  told  that  these  would  be  returned 
when  Nsama  gave  the  ivory  promised. 


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LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


When  Nsama  was  told  that  an  Englishman  wished  to  go  past 
him  to  Moei-o,  he  replied,  "Bring  him,  and  I  shall  send  men  to 
take  him  thither." 

Hamees  is  building  a  "  tembd,"  or  house,  with  a  flat  roof,  and 
walls  plastered  over  with  mud,  to  keep  his  ivory  from  fire  while 
he  is  absent.  We  expect  that  Ksama  will  send  for  us  a  few  days 
after  August  2d,  when  the  new  moon  appears :  if  they  do  not 
come  soon,  Hamees  will  send  men  to  Nsama  without  waiting  for 
his  messengers. 

July  28i/j. — Prayers,  with  the  Litany.*  Slavery  is  a  great 
evil  wherever  !  have  seen  it.  A  poor  old  woman  and  child  are 
among  the  captives;  the  boy,  about  three  years  old,  seems  a 
mother's  pet :  his  feet  are  sore  from  walking  in  the  sun.  He 
was  oflfered  for  two  fathoms,  and  his  mother  for  one  fathom :  he 
understood  it  all,  and  cried  bitterly,  clinging  to  his  mother.  She 
had,  of  course,  no  power  to  help  him:  they  were  separated  at 
Karungu  afterward. 

[The  above  is  an  episode  of  every-day  occurrence  in  the  wake 
of  the  slave-dealer.  "Two  fathoms,"  mentioned  as  the  price  of 
the  boy's  life — the  more  valuable  of  the  two — means  four  yards 
of  unbleached  calico,  which  is  a  universal  article  of  barter 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  Africa:  the  mother  was  bought 
for  two  yards.  The  reader  must  not  think  that  there  are  no  low- 
er prices ;  in  the  famines  which  succeed  the  slave-dealer's  raids, 
boys  and  girls  are  at  times  to  be  purchased  by  the  dealer  for  a 
few  handfuls  of  maize.] 

July  29th. — -Went  two  and  a  half  hours  west  to  village  of 
Ponda,  where  a  head  Arab,  called  by  the  natives  Tipo  Tipo, 
lives;  his  name  is  Hamid  bin  Mohamad  bin  Juma  Borajib.  He 
presented  a  goat,  a  piece  of  white  calico,  and  four  big  bunches  of 
beads,  also  a  bag  of  Holcus  sorghum,  and  apologized  because  it 
was  so  little.  He  had  lost  much  by  Nsama;  and  received  two 
arrow-wounds  there  ;  they  had  only  twenty  guns  at  the  time,  but 
some  were  in  the  stockade ;  and  though  the  people  of  Nsama 
were  very  numerous  they  beat  them  off,  and  they  fled  carrying 
the  bloated  carcass  of  Nsama  with  them.  Some  reported  tliat 
boxes  were  found  in  the  village  which  belonged  to  parties  who 
had  perished  before,  but  Syde  assured  me  that  this  was  a  mis- 
take. 

Moero  is  three  da_ys  distant,  and  as  Nsama's  people  go  thither 

*  III  liis  journnl  tlic  doctor  writes  "S,"  and  occasioiiiilly  "  Service,"  wlieiicver  n 
Sunday  entry  occurs.  We  may  add  that  at  all  times  during  his  travels  ihc  services  of 
the  Church  of  England  were  resorted  to  by  him. — En. 


NATIVE  CUPPING.  163 


to  collect  salt  on  its  banks,  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  me 
to  visit  it  from  the  south  without  being  seen,  and  probably  suf- 
fering loss. 

The  people  seem  to  have  no  family  names.  A  man  takes  the 
name  of  his  mother,  or,  should  his  father  die,  he  may  assume 
that.  Marriage  is  forbidden  to  the  first,  second,  and  third  de- 
grees :  they  call  first  and  second  cousins  brothers  and  sisters. 

A  woman  after  cupping  her  child's  temples  for  sore  eyes,  threw 
the  blood  over  the  roof  of  her  hut  as  a  charm. 

[In  the  above  process  a  goat's  horn  is  used,  with  a  small  hole 
in  the  pointed  end.  The  base  is  applied  to  the  part  from  which 
the  blood  is  to  be  withdrawn,  and  the  operator,  with  a  small 
piece  of  chewed  india-rubber  in  his  mouth,  exhausts  the  air,  and 
;it  the  proper  moment  plasters  the  small  hole  up  with  his  tongue. 
When  the  cupping-horn  is  removed,  some  cuts  are  made  with  a 
:-;inall  knife,  and  it  is  again  applied.  As  a  rough  appliance,  it  is 
;i  very  good  one,  and  in  great  repute  everywhere.] 


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LiriNGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Peace  Negotiations  with  Nsama. — Geographical  Gleanings. — Curious  Spider. — Reach- 
es the  Kiver  Lofu. — Arrives  at  Nsamas. — Hamees  marries  the  Daughter  of  Nsama. 
— Flight  of  the  Bride. — Conflagration  in  Arab  Quarters. — Anxious  to  visit  Lake 
Moero. — Arab  Burial. — Serious  Illness. — Continues  Journey. — Slave-traders  on 
the  March. — Reaches  Moero. — Description  of  the  Lake. — Information  concerning 
the  Charabeze'  and  Luapula. — Hears  of  Lake  Bemba. — Visits  Spot  of  Dr.  Lacerda's 
Death. — Casembe  apprised  of  Livingstone's  Approach. — Meets  Mohamad  Boga- 
rib. — Lakelet  Mofwe. — Arrives  at  Casembe's  To\sn.  • 

August  1st,  1867. — Hamees  sends  off  men  to  trade  at  Chiwere's. 
Zikwe  is  the  name  for  locust  here  ;  Nsige  or  Zige  and  Pansi  the 
Suaheli  names, 

A  perforated  stone  had  been  placed  on  one  of  the  poles  which 
form  the  gate-way  into  this  stockade.  It  is  oblong,  seven  or 
eight  inches  long  by  four  broad,  and  beveled  off"  on  one  side,  and 
the  diameter  of  the  hole  in  the  middle  is  about  an  inch  and  a 
half:  it  shows  evidence  of  the  boring  process  in  rings.  It  is  of 
hard  porphyry,  and  of  a  pinkish  hue,  and  resembles  somewhat  a 
weight  for  a  digging-stick  I  saw  in  1841  in  the  hands  of  a  Bush- 
woman  ;  I  saw  one  at  a  gate-way  near  Kasonso's.  The  people 
know  nothing  of  its  use,  except  as  a  charm  to  keep  away  evil 
from  the  village. 

August  2d.  —  Chronometer  A  stopped  to-day  without  any  ap- 
parent cause  except  the  earthquake. 

It  is  probably  malaria  which  causes  that  constant  singing  in 
the  ears  ever  since  my  illness  at  Lake  Liemba. 

August  ^d. — We  expect  a  message  from  Nsama  every  day,  the 
new  moon  having  appeared  on  the  first  of  this  month,  and  he 
was  to  send  after  its  appearance. 

August  bill. — Men  came  yesterday  with  the  message  that  Ha- 
mees must  wait  a  little  longer,  as  Nsama  had  not  yet  got  all  the 
ivory  and  the  goods  which  were  stolen :  they  remained  over  yes- 
terday. The  head  man,  Katala,  says  that  Lunda  is  eight  days 
from  Nsama  or  Moero,  and  in  going  we  cross  a  large  river  called 
Movuc,  which  flows  into  Luajnihi;  another  river  called  Mokobwa 
comes  from  the  south-east  into  Moero.  Itawa  is  the  name  of 
Msama's  country  and  people. 

A  day  distant  from  N.sama's  place  tlierc  is  a  lioi  f  )untain  called 
"  Paka  i)czhia,"  and  around  it  the  earth  shakes  at  times:  it  is 


EVIL  EFFECTS  OF  SLAVERY. 


185 


•I   possible  that  the  earthquake  we  felt  here  may  be  connected  with 
this  same  centre  of  motion. 

August  6th. — The  weather  is  becoming  milder.  An  increase 
of  cold  was  caused  by  the  wind  coming  from  the  south.  We 
have  good  accounts  of  the  Wasongo  from  all  the  Arabs.  Their 
houses  built  for  cattle  are  flat-roofed  and  enormously  large;  one, 
i  they  say,  is  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long.  Merere,  the  chief,  has  his 
dwelling-house  within  it.  Milk,  butter,  cheese,  are  in  enormous 
quantities ;  the  tribe,  too,  is  very  large.  I  fear  that  they  may  be 
spoiled  by  the  Arab  underlings. 

August  7th. — Some  of  my  people  went  down  to  Karambo  and 
were  detained  by  the  chief,  who  said,  "  I  won't  let  you  English 
go  away  and  leave  me  in  trouble  with  these  Arabs." 

A  slave  had  been  given  in  charge  to  a  man  here  and  escaped; 
'    the  Arabs  hereupon  went  to  Karambo  and  demanded  payment 
j    from  the  chief  there;  he  offered  clothing,  but  they  refused  it,  and 
I    would  have  a  man ;  he  then  offered  a  man,  but  this  man  having 
two  children,  they  demanded  all  three.    They  bully  as  much  as 
they  please  by  their  fire-arms.    After  being  spoken  to  by  my 
I  people,  the  Arabs  came  away.    The  chief  begged  that  I  wOuld 
come  and  visit  him  once  more,  for  only  one  day ;  but  it  is  im- 
possible, for  we  expect  to  move  directly.    I  sent  the  information 
to  Hamees,  who  replied  that  they  had  got  a  clue  to  the  man 
who  was  wiling  away  their  slaves  from  them.    My  people  saw 
others  of  the  low  squad  which  always  accompanies  the  better-in- 
formed Arabs  bullying  the  people  of  another  village,  and  taking 
fowl  and  food  without  payment.    Slavery  makes  a  bad  neighbor- 
hood ! 

llamees  is  on  friendly  terms  with  a  tribe  of  Mazitu,  who  say 
that  they  have  given  up  killing  people.  They  lifted  a  great 
many  cattle,  but  have  very  few  now :  some  of  them  came  with 
him  to  show  the  way  to  Kasonso's. 

Slaves  arc  sold  here  in  the  same  open  way  that  the  business  is 
carried  on  in  Zanzibar  slave-market.  A  man  goes  about  calling 
out  the  price  he  wants  for  the  slave,  who  walks  behind  him:  if 
a  woman,  she  is  taken  into  a  hut  to  be  examined  in  a  state  of 
nudity. 

I  Some  of  the  Arabs  believe  that  meteoric  stones  arc  thrown  at 
'  Satan  for  his  wickedness.  Thoy  believe  that  cannon  were  taken 
up  Kilimanjaro  by  the  first  Arabs  who  came  into  the  country, 
and  there  they  lie.  They  deny  that  Van  der  Decken  did  more 
than  go  round  a  portion  of  the  base  of  the  mountain;  he  could 
not  get  on  the  mass  of  the  mountain  :  all  his  donkeys  and  some 

13 


186 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


of  his  men  died  by  the  cold.  Hamees  seems  to  be  Cooley's  great 
geographical  oracle! 

The  information  one  can  cull  from  the  Arabs  respecting  the 
country  on  the  north-west  is  very  indefinite.  They  magnify  the 
difficulties  in  the  way  by  tales  of  the  cannibal  tribes,  where  any 
one  dying  is  bought  and  no  one  ever  buried  ;  but  this  does  not 
agree  with  the  fact,  which  also  is  asserted,  that  the  cannibals  have 
plenty  of  sheep  and  goats.  The  Rua  is  about  ten  days  west  of 
Tanganyika,  and  five  days  beyond  it  a  lake  or  river  ten  miles 
broad  is  reached ;  it  is  said  to  be  called  Logarawd :  all  the  water 
flows  northward ;  but  no  reliance  can  be  placed  on  the  statements. 
Kiombo  is  said  to  be  chief  of  Rua  countr}^.  . 

Another  man  asserts  that  Tanganyika  flows  northward,  and 
forms  a  large  water  beyond  Uganda ;  but  no  dependence  can 
be  placed  on  the  statements  of  these  half  Arabs ;  they  pay  no  at- 
tention to  any  thing  but  ivory  and  food. 

August  2bth. — Nsama  requested  the  Arabs  to  give  back  his 
son  who  was  captured;  some  difficulty  was  made  about  this  by 
his  captor,  but  Hainees  succeeded  in  getting  him  and  about  nine 
others,  and  they  are  sent  off  to-day.  We  wait  only  for  the  peo- 
ple, who  are  scattered  about  the  country.  Hamees  presented 
cakes,  flour,  a  fowl,  and  leg  of  goat,  with  a  piece  of  eland  meat: 
this  animal  goes  by  the  same  name  here  as  at  Kolobeng — "pofu."* 

A  fig-tree  here  has  large  knobs  on  the  bark,  like  some  species 
of  acacia  ;  and  another  looks  like  the  Malolo  of  the  Zambesi  mag- 
nified.   A  yellow  wood  gives  an  odor  like  incense  when  burned. 

A  large  spider  makes  a  nest  inside  the  huts.  It  consists  of  a 
piece  of  pure  white  paper,  an  inch  and  a  half  broad,  stuck  flat  on 
the  wall ;  under  this  some  forty  or  fifty  eggs  are  placed,  and  then 
a  quarter  of  an  inch  of  thinner  paper  is  put  round  it,  apparently 
to  fasten  the  first  firmly.  When  making  the  paper  the  spider 
moves  itself  over  the  surface  in  wavy  lines ;  she  then  sits  on  it 
with  her  eight  legs  spread  over  all  for  three  weeks  continuously, 
catching  and  eating  any  insects,  as  cockroaches,  that  come  near 
her  nest.  After  three  weeks  she  leaves  it  to  hunt  for  food,  but 
always  returns  at  night:  the  natives  do  not  molest  it. 

A  small  ant  masters  the  common  fly  by  seizing  a  wing  or  leg, 
and  holding  on  till  the  fly  is  tired  out:  at  first  the  fly  can  move 
about  on  the  wing  without  inconvenience,  but  it  is  at  last  obliged 
to  succumb  to  an  enemy  very  much  smaller  than  itself. 


*  Clidfn,  nmong  the  Munganjii.  Any  animnl  possessing  strength  hns  the  terininiil 
"fu"or  "vu;"  thus  Njobvii,  im  elcplmnt ;  M'vii,  the  hip|)0])otniniia. — Ed. 


REACHES  THE  FORD  OF  THE  LOFTJ. 


187 


A  species  of  Touraco,  new  to  me,  has  a  broad  yellow  mask  on 
the  upper  part  of  the  bill  and  forehead ;  the  top-knot  is  purple, 
the  wings  the  same  as  in  other  species,  but  the  red  is  roseate. 
The  yellow  of  the  mask  plates  is  conspicuous  at  a  distance. 

A  large  callosity  forms  on  the  shoulders  of  the  regular  Un- 
yamwesi  porters,  from  the  heavy  weights  laid  on  them.  I  have 
noticed  them  an  inch  and  a  half  thick  along  the  top  of  the  shoul- 
ders. An  old  man  was  pointed  out  to  me  who  had  once  carried 
five  frasilahs  (=175  pounds)  of  ivory  from  his  own  country  to 
the  coast. 

August  SOth. — We  marched  to-day  from  Chitimba's  village  af- 
ter three  months  and  ten  days'  delay.  On  reaching  Fonda,  two 
hours  and  a  half  distant,  we  found  Tipo  Tipo,  or  Hamidi  bin 
Mohamad,  gone  on,  and  so  we  followed  him.  Passed  a  fine 
stream  flowing  south-west  to  the  Lofu.  Tipo  Tipo  gave  me  a 
.  fine  fat  goat. 

August  Slst. — Pass  along  a  fine  undulating  district,  with  much 
country  covered  with  forest,  but  many  open  glades,  and  fine  large 
trees  along  the  water-courses.  We  were  on  the  northern  slope 
of  the  water-shed,  and  could  see  far.  Crossed  two  fine  rivulets. 
The  oozes  still  full  and  flowing. 

September  1st,  1867. — We  had  to  march  in  the  afternoon  on  ac- 
count of  a  dry  patch  existing  in  the  direct  way.  We  slept  with- 
out water,  though  by  diverging  a  few  miles  to  the  north  we 
should  have  crossed  many  streams ;  but  this  is  the  best  path  for 
the  whole  year. 

Baraka  went  back  to  Tipo  Tipo's  village,  thus  putting  his  in- 
tention of  begging  among  the  Arab  slaves  into  operation.  He 
has  only  one  complaint,  and  that  is  dislike  to  work.  lie  tried 
perseveringly  to  get  others  to  run  away  with  him :  lost  the  medi- 
cinc-box,  six  table-cloths,  and  all  our  tool.s,  by  giving  his  load  off 
to  a  country  lad  while  he  went  to  collect  mushrooms:  he  will 
probably  return  to  Zanzibar,  and  be  a  slave  to  the  Arab  slavers 
after  being  a  perpetual  nuisance  to  us  for  upward  of  a  year. 

JScpleniber  2d. — When  we  reached  the  ford  of  the  Lofu,  we 
found  that  we  were  at  least  a  thousand  feet  below  Chitimba's. 
The  last  six  hours  of  our  march  were  without  water,  but  when 
near  to  Chungu's  village  at  the  ford  we  came  to  fine  flowing 
rivulets,  some  ten  feet  or  so  broad.  Here  we  could  see  westward 
and  northward  the  long  lines  of  hills  of  denudation  in  Nsama's 
country,  which  till  lately  was  densely  peopled.  Nsama  is  of 
the  Babcmba  family.  Kasonso,  Chitimba,  Kiwe,  Urongw^i,  are 
equals  and  of  one  family,  Urungai.    Chungu  is  a  pleasant  per- 


188 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


son,  and  liberal  according  to  his  means.  Large  game  is  very 
abundant  through  all  this  country. 

The  Lofu  at  the  ford  was  two  hundred  and  ninety-six  feet,  the 
water  flowing  briskly  over  hardened  sandstone  flag,  and  from 
thigh  to  waist  deep ;  elsewhere  it  is  a  little  narrower,  but  not 
passable  except  by  canoes. 

Septemher  4:th,  5th. — Went  seven  hours  west  of  the  Lofu  to  a 
village  called  Hara,  one  of  those  burned  by  Hamees  because  the 
people  would  not  take  a  peaceful  message  to  Nsama.  This  coun- 
try is  called  Itawa,  and  Hara  is  one  of  the  districts.  We  waited 
nt  Hara  to  see  if  Nsama  wished  us  any  nearer  to  himself  He  is 
very  much  afraid  of  the  Arabs,  and  well  he-  may  be,  for  he  was 
until  lately  supposed  to  be  invincible.  He  fell  before  twenty 
muskets,  and  this  has  caused  a  panic  throughout  the  country. 
The  land  is  full  of  food,  though  the  people  have  nearly  all  fled. 
The  ground-nuts  are  growing  again  for  want  of  reapers;  and 
three  hundred  people  living  at  free  quarters  make  no  impression 
on  the  food. 

September  9ih. — Went  three  hours  west  of  Hara,  and  came  to 
Nsama's  new  stockade,  built  close  by  the  old  one  burned  by 
Tipo  Tipo,  as  Hamidi  bin  Mohamad  was  named  by  Nsama.*  I 
sent  a  message  to  Nsama,  and  received  an  invitation  to  come  and 
visit  him,  but  bring  no  guns.  A  large  crowd  of  his  people  went 
with  us,  and  before  we  came  to  the  inner  stockade  they  felt  my 
clothes  to  see  that  no  fire-arms  were  concealed  about  my  person. 
When  we  reached  Nsama,  we  found  a  very  old  man,  with  a  good 
head  and  face  and  a  large  abdomen,  showing  that  he  was  ad- 
dicted to  pombe :  his  people  have  to  carry  him.  I  gave  him  a 
cloth,  and  asked  for  guides  to  Moero,  which  he  readily  granted, 
and  asked  leave  to  feel  my  clothes  and  hair.  I  advised  him  to 
try  and  live  at  peace ;  but  his  people  were  all  so  much  beyond 
the  control  of  himself  and  head  men,  that  at  last,  after  scolding 
them,  he  told  me  tliat  he  would  send  for  me  by  night,  and  then 
we  could  converse,  but  this  seems  to  have  gone  out  of  his  head. 
He  sent  me  a  goat,  flour,  and  pombe,  and  next  day  wc  returned 
to  Hara. 


*  'J'lu'.  nntives  arc  quick  to  detect  a  peculiarity  in  n  man,  ami  pive  him  a  name  ac- 
cordingly ;  tlic  conq\u!ror.s  of  a  country  try  to  forestiill  tlicm  by  .selecting  one  for  them- 
selves. Susi  states  that  when  Tipo  Tipo  stood  over  the  spoil  taken  from  Nsama,  he 
(gathered  it  closer  together,  and  said,  "Now  I  am  Tipo  Tii)o,"  that  is,  "the  gatherer 
together  of  wealth."  Kuniha  Kumha,  of  whom  wc  shall  hear  much,  took  his  inimc 
from  the  number  ofciiptives  ho  gathered  in  liis  train  under  similar  circumstances  ;  it 
might  be  translated,  "The  collector  of  people." — Eu. 


A  POLITICAL  MARRIAGE. 


189 


Nsama's  people  have  generally  small,  well -chiseled  features, 
anci  many  are  really  handsome,  and  have  nothing  of  the  West 
Coast  Negro  about  them;  but  they  file  their  teeth  to  sharp  points, 
and  greatly  disfigure  their  mouths.  The  only  difference  between 
them  and  Europeans  is  the  color.  Many  of  the  men  have  very 
finely-formed  heads,  and  so  have  the  women  ;  and  the  fashion  of 
wearing  the  hair  sets  off  their  foreheads  to  advantage.  The  fore- 
head is  shaved  off  to  the  crown,  the  space  narrowing  as  it  goes 
up  ;  then  the  back  hair  is  arranged  into  knobs  of  about  ten  rows. 

September  10th. — Some  people  of  Ujiji  have  come  to  Nsama's 
to  buy  ivory  with  beads,  but,  finding  that  the  Arabs  have  fore- 
stalled them  in  the  market,  they  intend  to  return  in  their  dhow, 
or  rather  canoe,  which  is  manned  by  about  fifty  hands.  My  goods 
are  reported  safe,  and  the  meat  of  the  buffaloes  which  died  in  the 
way  is  there,  and  sun-dried.  I  sent  a  box,  containing  papers, 
books,  and  some  clothes,  to  Ujiji. 

September  l-ith. — I  remained  at  Hara,  for  I  was  ill,  and  Hamees 
had  no  confidence  in  Nsama,  because  he  promised  his  daughter 
to  wife  by  way  of  cementing  the  peace,  but  had  not  given  her. 
Nsama  also  told  Hamees  to  stay  at  Ilara,  and  he  would  send  him 
ivory  for  sale ;  but  none  came,  nor  do  people  come  here  to  sell 
provisions,  as  they  do  elsewhere;  so  Hamees  will  return  to  Chi- 
timba's,  to  guard  his  people  and  property  there,  and  send  on  Syde 
Ilamidi  and  his  servants  LopCire,  Kabuird,  and  Moero,  to  buy 
ivory.  He  advised  me  to  go  with  them,  as  he  has  no  confidence 
in  Nsama;  and  Hamidi  thought  that  this  was  the  plan  to  be  pre- 
ferred: it  would  be  slower,  as  they  would  purchase  ivory  on  the 
road,  but  safer  to  pass  his  country  altogether  than  trust  myself 
in  his  power. 

The  entire  population  of  the  country  has  received  a  shock  from 
the  conquest  of  Nsama,  and  their  views  of  the  comparative  values 
of  bows  and  arrows  and  guns  have  undergone  a  great  change. 
Nsama  was  the  Napoleon. of  these  countries;  no  one  could  stand 
before  him;  hence  the  defeat  of  the  invincible  Nsama  has  caused 
a  great  panic.  The  Arabs  say  that  they  lost  about  fifty  men  in 
all:  Nsama  must  have  lost  at  least  an  equal  number.  The  peo- 
ple seem  intelligent,  and  will  no  doubt  act  on  the  experience  so 
dearly  bought.' 

In  the  midst  of  the  doubts  of  Hamees,  a  daughter  of  Nsama 
came  this  afternoon  to  be  a  wife,  and  cemcnter  of  the  peace! 
Siic  came  riding  "  pickaback  "  on  a  man's  shoulders ;  a  nice,  mod- 
est, good-looking  young  woman,  her  hair  rubbed  all  over  with 
nkola,  a  red  pigment,  made  from  the  cam-wood,  and  much  used  as 


190 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


an  ornament.  She  was  accompanied  by  about  a  dozen  young 
and  old  female  attendants,  each  carrying  a  small  basket  with 
some  provisions,  as  cassava,  ground-nuts,  etc.  The  Arabs  were 
all  dressed  in  their  finery,  and  the  slaves,  in  fantastic  dresses, 
flourished  swords,  fired  guns,  and  yelled.  When  she  was  brought 
to  Hamees's  hut  she  descended,  and  with  her  maids  went  into  the 
hut.  She  and  her  attendants  had  all  small,  neat  features.  I  had 
been  sitting  with  Hamees,  and  now  rose  up  and  went  away.  As 
I  passed  him,  he  spoke  thus  to  himself:  "Hamees  Wadim  Tagh! 
see  to  what  you  have  brought  yourself!" 

September  loth. — A  guide  had  come  from  Nsama  to  take  us  to 
the  countries  beyond  his  territory.  Hamees 'set  off  this  morning 
with  his  new  wife  to  his  father-in-law,  but  was  soon  met  by  two 
messengers,  who  said  that  he  was  not  to  come  yet.  We  now  sent 
for  all  the  people  who  were  out  to  go  west  or  north-west  without 
reference  to  Nsama. 

Septemher  16th-18th. — Hamidi  went  to  Nsama  to  try  and  get 
guides,  but  he  would  not  let  him  come  into  his  stockade  unless 
he  came  up  to  it  without  either  gun  or  sword.  Hamidi  would 
not  go  in  on  these  conditions;  but  Nsama  promised  guides,  and 
they  came  after  a  visit  by  Hamees  to  Nsama,  which  he  paid 
without  telling  any  of  us :  he  is  evidently  ashamed  of  his  father- 
in-law. 

Those  Arabs  who  despair  of  ivory  invest  their  remaining  beads 
and  cloth  in  slaves. 

September  20th. — I  had  resolved  to  go  to  Nsama's,  and  thence 
to  Moero  to-day ;  but  Hamees  sent  to  say  that  men  had  come, 
and  we  were  all  to  go  with  them  on  the  22d.  Nsama  was  so 
vacillating  that  I  had  no  doubt  but  this  was  best. 

Hamees's  wife,  seeing  the  preparations  that  were  made  for  start- 
insr,  thought  that  her  father  was  to  be  attacked,  so  she,  her  attend- 
ants,  and  the  guides  decamped  by  night.  Hamees  went  again  to 
Nsama  and  got  other  guides  to  enable  us  to  go  off  at  once. 

Septemher  22c/. — We  went  north  for  a  couple  of  hours,  then 
descended  into  the  same  valley  as  that  in  which  I  found  Nsama. 
This  valley  is  on  the  slope  of  the  water -shed,  and  lies  east  and 
west:  a  ridge  of  dark-red  sandstone,  covered  with  trees,  forms  its 
aide  on  the  south.  Other  ridges  like  this  make  the  slope  have 
the  form  of  a  stair  with  huge  steps:  the  descent  is  gradually  lost 
as  we  insensibly  climb  up  the  next  ridge.  The  first  plain  be- 
tween the  steps  is  at  times  swampy,  and  the  paths  are  covered 
with  the  impressions  of  human  feet,  which,  being  hardened  by 
the  sun,  make  walking  on  their  uneven  surface  very  dillioult. 


AMONG  NUMEROUS  FRIENDS. 


191 


Mosquitoes  again ;  we  had  lost  them  during  our  long  stay  on  the 
higher  lands  behind  us. 

September  2'dcl. — A  fire  had  broken  out  the  night  after  we  left 
Hara,  and  the  wind  being  strong,  it  got  the  upper  hand,  and 
swept  away  at  once  the  whole  of  the  temporary  village  of  dry 
straw  huts.  Hamees  lost  all  his  beads,  guns,  powder,  and  cloth, 
except  one  bale.  The  news  came  this  morning,  and  prayers  were 
at  once  offered  for  him  with  incense ;  some  goods  will  also  be 
sent,  as  a  little  incense  was.  The  prayer-book  was  held  in  the 
smoke  of  the  incense  while  the  responses  were  made.  These 
Arabs  seem  to  be  very  religious  in  their  way  :  the  prayers  were 
chiefly  to  Harasji,  some  relative  of  Mohammed. 

Sejitember  2Uh.  —  Roused  at  3  A.M.  to  be  told  that  the  next 
stage  had  no  water,  and  we  should  be  oppressed  with  the  midday 
heat  if  we  went  now.  We  were  to  go  at  2  P.M.  Hamidi's  wife, 
being  ill  yesterday,  put  a  stop  to  our  march  on  that  afternoon. 
After  the  first  hour  we  descended  from  the  ridge  to  which  we  had 
ascended;  we  had  then  a  wall  of  tree-covered  rocks  on  our  left 
of  more  than  a  thousand  feet  in  altitude:  after  flanking  it  for  a 
while  we  went  up,  and  then  along  it  northward  till  it  vanished  in 
forest.    Slept  without  a  fresh  supply  of  water. 

Sejjte'inber  2oth. — Off  at  5.30  A.M.  through  the  same  well-grown 
forest  we  have  passed,  and  came  to  a  village  stockade,  where  the 
gates  were  shut,  and  the  men  all  outside,  in  fear  of  the  Arabs; 
we  then  descended  from  the  ridge  on  which  it  stood,  about  a 
tliousand  feet,  into  an  immense  plain,  with  a  large  river  in  the 
di-stance,  some  ten  miles  off. 

September  26th. — Two  and  a  half  hours  brought  us  to  the  large 
river  we  saw  yesterday :  it  is  more  than  a  mile  wide,  and  full  of 
papyrus  and  other  aquatic  plants,  and  very  difficult  to  ford,  as  the 
papyrus  roots  are  hard  to  the  bare  feet,  and  we  often  plunged 
into  holes  up  to  the  waist.  A  loose  mass  floated  in  the  middle 
of  our  path  :  one  could  sometimes  get  on  along  this  while  it  bent 
and  heaved  under  the  weight,  but  through  it  he  would  plunge 
and  find  great  difficulty  to  get  out.  The  water  under  this  was 
very  cold  from  evaporation  ;  it  took  an  hour  and  a  half  to  cro.ss 
it.  It  is  called  Chi.sera,  and  winds  away  to  the  west  to  fall  into 
the  Kalongosi  and  Moero.  Many  animals,  as  elephants,  tahetsis, 
zebras,  and  buffaloes,  graze  on  the  long  sloping  banks  of  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  down,  while  the  ranges  of  hills  we  cro.ssed  as 
mere  ridges  now  appear  behind  us  in  the  south. 

September  21th. — The  people  are  numerous  and  friendly.  One 
elephant  was  killed,  and  we  remained  to  take  the  ivory  from  the 


192 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


dead  beast;  buffaloes  and  zebras  were  also  killed.  It  was  so 
cloudy  that  no  observations  could  be  taken  to  determine  our 
position,  but  Cbisera  rises  in  Lopere.  Farther  west  it  is  free  of 
pap3'rus,  and  canoes  are  required  to  cross  it. 

September  28th. — Two  hours  north  brought  us  to  the  Kamo- 
senga,  a  river  eight  yards  wide,  of  clear  water,  which  ran  strongly 
among  aquatic  plants.  Hippopotami,  buffalo,  and  zebra  abound. 
This  goes  into  the  Chis^ra  eastward;  country  flat,  and  covered 
with  dense  tangled  bush.  Cassias,  and  another  tree  of  the  pea 
family,  are  now  in  flower,  and  perfume  the  air.  Other  two  hours 
took  us  round  a  large  bend  of  this  river. 

September  30th.  —  We  crossed  the  Kamosenga  or  another,  and 
reached  Karungu's.  The  Kamosenga  divides  Lopere  from  Itawa, 
the  latter  being  Nsama's  country  ;  Lopere  is  north-west  of  it. 

October  1st,  1867. — Karungu  was  very  much  afraid  of  us :  he 
kept  every  one  out  of  his  stockade  at  first;  but  during  the  time 
the  Arabs  sent  forward  to  try  and  conciliate  other  chiefs  he  grad- 
ually became  more  friendly.  He  had  little  ivory  to  sell ;  and 
of  those  who  had,  Mtete  or  Mtema  seemed  inclined  to  treat  the 
messengers  roughly.  Men  were  also  sent  to  Nsama  asking  him 
to  try  and  induce  Mtema  and  Chikongo  to  be  friendly  and  sell 
ivory  and  provisions ;  but  he  replied  that  these  chiefs  were  not 
men  under  him,  and  if  they  thought  themselves  strong  enough  to 
contend  against  guns  he  had  nothing  to  say  to  them.  Other 
chiefs  threatened  to  run  away  as  soon  as  they  saw  the  Arabs  ap- 
proaching. These  were  assured  that  we  meant  to  pass  through 
the  country  alone;  and  if  they  gave  us  guides  to  show  us  how, 
we  should  avoid  the  villages  altogether,  and  proceed  to  the  coun- 
tries where  ivory  was  to  be  bought:  however,  the  panic  was  too 
great ;  no  one  would  agree  to  our  overtures ;  and  at  last  when 
we  did  proceed,  a  chief  on  the  River  Choma  fulfilled  his  threat 
and  left  us  three  empty  villages.  There  were  no  people  to  sell, 
though  the  granaries  were  crammed,  and  it  was  impossible  to 
prevent  the  slaves  from  stealing. 

October  3d,  Atli. — When  Chikongo  heard  Tipo  Tipo's  message 
about  buying  ivory,  he  said,  "And  when  did  Tipo  Tipo  place 
ivory  in  my  countr}',  that  he  comes  seeking  it?"  Yet  he  sent  a 
tusk,  and  said,  "  That  is  all  I  have,  and  he  is  not  to  come  lierc." 
Their  hostile  actions  are  caused  principally  by  fear.  "If  Nsama 
could  not  stand  before  the  Malongwana  or  traders,  how  can  we 
face  them?"  I  wished  to  go  on  to  Moo ro,  but  all  declare  that 
our  ten  guns  would  put  all  the  villages  to  fliglit:  they  are  terror- 
struck.    First  rains  of  this  season  on  the  5th. 


TRANSFERENCE  OF  SLAVES.  193 

October  10th. — I  had  a  long  conversation  with  Sjde,  who  thinks 
that  the  sun  rises  and  sets  because  the  Koran  says  so,  and  he  sees 
it.  He  asserts  that  Jesus  foretold  the  coming  of  Mohammed; 
and  that  it  was  not  Jesus  who  suflered  on  the  cross,  but  a  substi- 
tute, it  being  unlikely  that  a  true  prophet  would  be  put  to  death 
so  ignominiously.  He  does  not  understand  how  we  can  be  glad 
that  our  Saviour  died  for  our  sins. 

October  12th. — An  elephant  killed  by  Tipo  Tipo's  men.  It  is 
always  clouded  over,  and  often  not  a  breath  of  air  stirring. 

October  16lh. — A  great  many  of  the  women  of  this  district  and 
of  Lopcre  have  the  swelled  thyroid  gland  called  goitre,  or  Derby- 
shire neck;  men,  too,  appeared  with  it,  and  they,  in  addition,  have 
hydrocele  of  large  size. 

An  Arab  who  had  been  long  ill  at  Chitimba's  died  yesterday, 
and  was  buried  in  the  evening.  No  women  were  allowed  to  come 
near.  A  long,  silent  prayer  was  uttered  over  the  corpse  when  it 
was  laid  beside  the  grave,  and  then  a  cloth  was  held  over  as  men 
in  it  deposited  the  remains  beneath  sticks  placed  slanting  on  the 
side  of  the  bottom  of  the  grave :  this  keeps  the  earth  from  coming 
directly  into  contact  with  the  body. 

A  feast  was  made  by  the  friends  of  the  departed,  and  portions 
sent  to  all  who  had  attended  the  funeral :  I  got  a  good  share. 

October  ISth.  —  The  last  we  hear  of  Nsama  is  that  he  will  not 
interfere  with  Chikongo.  Two  wives  beat  drums,  and  he  dances 
to  them  :  he  is  evidently  in  his  dotage.  We  hear  of  many  Arabs 
to  the  west  of  us. 

October  20th. — Very  ill ;  I  am  always  so  when  I  have  no  work 
— sore  bones — much  headache;  then  lose  power  over  tlic  muscles 
of  the  back,  as  at  Liemba ;  no  appetite,  and  much  thirst.  The 
fever  uninfluenced  by  medicine. 

October  21-st. — Syde  sent  his  men  to  build  a  new  hut  in  a  better 
situation.    I  hope  it  may  be  a  healthful  one  for  me. 

October  22d. — The  final  message  from  Chikongo  was  a  discour- 
aging one — no  ivory.  The  Arabs,  however,  go  west  with  me  as 
far  as  Cliisaw6's,  wlio,  being  accustomed  to  Arabs  from  Tangan- 
yika, will  give  me  men  to  take  me  on  to  Moero :  the  Arabs  will 
then  return,  and  we  shall  move  on. 

October  2'6(L — Tipo  Tipo  gave  Karungu  some  cloth,  and  this 
chief  is  "looking  for  something"  to  give  him  in  return;  this  de- 
tains us  one  day  more. 

When  a  slave  wishes  to  change  his  master  he  goes  to  one  wlioin 
he  likes  better  and  breaks  a  spoar  or  a  bow  in  his  presence:  the 
transference  is  irrevocable.    Tliis  curious  custom  prevails  on  tlie 


194 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Zambesi,  and  also  among  the  Wanyamwesi.  If  the  old  master 
wishes  to  recover  his  slave  the  new  one  may  refuse  to  part  with 
him,  except  when  he  gets  liis  full  price:  a  case  of  this  kind  hap- 
pened here  yesterday. 

October  2bth. — Authority  was  found  in  the  Koran  for  staying 
one  day  more  here.  This  was  very  trying;  but  the  fact  was  our 
guide  from  Hara  hither  had  enticed  a  young  slave-girl  to  run 
away,  and  he  had  given  her  in  charge  to  one  of  his  countrymen, 
who  turned  round  and  tried  to  secure  her  for  himself,  and  gave 
information  about  the  other  enticing  her  away.  Nothing  can  be 
more  tedious  than  the  Arab  way  of  traveling. 

October  2Qth. — We  went  south-west  for  five  hours  through  an 
undulating,  well-wooded,  well-peopled  country,  and  quantities  of 
large  game.  Several  trees  give  out,  when  burned,  very  fine  scents  ; 
others  do  it  when  cut.  Euphorbia  is  abundant.  We  slept  by  a 
torrent  which  had  been  filled  with  muddy  water  by  late  rains. 
It  thunders  every  afternoon,  and  rains  somewhere  as  regularly  as 
it  thunders,  but  these  are  but  partial  rains;  they  do  not  cool  the 
earth,  nor  fill  the  cracks  made  in  the  dry  season. 

October  11th. — Off  early  in  a  fine,  drizzling  rain,  which  contin- 
ued for  two  hours,  and  came  on  to  a  plain  about  three  miles  broad, 
full  of  large  game.  These  plains  are  swamps  at  times,  and  they 
are  flanked  by  ridges  of  denudation  some  two  or  three  hundred 
feet  above  them,  and  covered  with  trees. 

The  ridges  are  generally  hardened  sandstone,  marked  with 
madrepores,  and  masses  of  brown  hematite.  It  is  very  hot,  and 
we  become  very  tired.  There  is  no  system  in  the  Arab  marches. 
The  first  day  was  five  hours,  this  three  and  a  half  hours;  had 
it  been  reversed — short  marches  during  the  first  days  and  longer 
afterward — the  muscles  would  have  become  inured  to  the  exer- 
tion. A  long  line  of  heights  on  our  south  points  to  the  valley  of 
Nsama. 

October  28th. — Five  hours  brought  us  to  the  Choma  Eiver  and 
the  villages  of  Chifupa;  but,  as  already  mentioned,  the  chief  and 
people  had  fled,  and  no  persuasion  could  prevail  on  them  to  come 
and  sell  us  food.  We  showed  a  few  who  ventured  to  come  among 
us  what  wc  were  willing  to  give  for  flour,  but  they  said,  "Yes, 
we  will  call  the  women,  and  they  will  sell."    None  came. 

Rested  all  day  on  the  banks  of  the  Choma,  which  is  a  muddy 
stream  coming  from  the  north  and  going  to  the  south-W(>st  to  join 
the  Chisdra.  It  has  worn  itself  a  deep  bed  in  the  mud  of  its  banks, 
and  is  twenty  yards  wide,  and  in  some  spots  waist-deep;  at  other 
parts  it  is  nnfordablc :  it  contains  plenty  offish,  and  hijipopolanii 


A  BAD  SPOBTSMAN.—THE  RATEL. 


195 


and  crocodiles  abound.  I  bought  a  few  ground-nuts  at  an  ex- 
orbitant price,  the  men  evidently  not  seeing  that  it  would  have 
been  better  to  part  with  more  at  a  lower  price  than  run  off  and 
leave  all  to  be  eaten  hy  the  slaves. 

October  SOth. — Two  ugly  images  were  found  in  huts  built  for 
them :  they  represent  in  a  poor  way  the  people  of  the  countr\^, 
and  are  used  in  rain -making  and  curing  the  sick  ceremonies. 
This  is  the  nearest  approach  to  idol  worship  I  have  seen  in  the 
country.* 

October  31st. — We  marched  over  a  long  line  of  hills  on  our 
west,  and  in  five  and  a  half  hours  came  to  some  villages  where 
the  people  sold  us  food  willingly,  and  behaved  altogether  in  a 
friendly  way.  We  were  met  by  a  herd  of  buffaloes;  but  Syde 
seized  my  gun  from  the  boy  who  carried  it,  and  when  the  ani- 
mals came  close  past  me  I  was  powerless,  and  not  at  all  pleased 
with  the  want  of  good  sense  shown  by  my  usually  polite  xirab 
friend. 

Note. — The  Choma  is  said  by  Mohamad  bin  Saleh  to  go  into 
Tanganyika  (?).    It  goes  to  Kalongosi. 

November  1st,  1867. — We  came  along  between  ranges  of  hills 
considerably  higher  than  those  we  have  passed  in  Itawa  or 
Nsama's  country,  and  thickly  covered  with  trees,  some  in  full 
foliage,  and  some  putting  forth  fresh  red  leaves:  the  hills  are 
about  seven  or  eight  hundred  feet  above  the  valleys.  This  is 
not  a  district  of  running  rills:  we  crossed  three  sluggish  stream- 
lets knee-deep.    Buffaloes  are  very  numerous. 

The  Ratel  covers  the  buffalo  droppings  with  earth  in  order  to 
secure  the  scavenger  beetles  which  bury  themselves  therein  ;  thus 
he  prevents  them  from  rolling  a  portion  away  as  usual. 

We  built  our  sheds  on  a  hill-side.  Our  course  was  west  and 
six  and  a  quarter  hours. 

November  2d. — Still  in  the  same  direction,  and  in  an  open  val- 
ley remarkable  for  the  numbers  of  a  small  euphorbia,  which  we 
smashed  at  every  step.  Crossed  a  small  but  strong  rivulet,  the 
Lipandc,  going  south-west  to  Moero;  then,  an  hour  afterward, 
crossed  it  again,  now  twenty  yards  wide  and  knec-deep.  After 
descending  from  the  tree -covered  hill  which  divides  Lipandc 
from  Luao,  we  crossed  the  latter  to  sleep  on  its  western  bank. 
The  hills  arc  granite  now,  and  a  range  on  our  left,  from  seven 
hundred  to  fifteen  hundred  feet  high,  goes  on  all  the  way  to 
Mocro. 


•  It  is  on  the  West  Const  alone  that  idols  are  leally  wor8hi[)cd  in  Africa. — Ed. 


196 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


These  valleys  along  which  we  travel  are  beautiful.  Green  is 
the  prevailing  color;  but  the  clumps  of  trees  assume  a  great  va- 
riety of  forms,  and  often  remind  one  of  English  park  scenery. 
The  long  line  of  slaves  and  carriers,  brought  up  by  their  Arab 
employers,  adds  life  to  the  scene:  they  are  in  three  bodies,  and 
number  four  hundred  and  fifty  in  all.  Each  party  has  a  guide 
with  a  flag,  and  when  that  is  planted  all  that  company  stops  till 
it  is  lifted,  and  a  drum  is  beaten,  and  a  kudu's  horn  sounded. 
One  party  is  headed  by  about  a  dozen  leaders,  dressed  with  fan- 
tastic head-gear  of  feathers  and  beads,  red  cloth  on  the  bodies, 
and  skins  cut  into  strips  and  twisted:  they  take  their  places  in 
line,  the  drum  beats,  the.  horn  sounds  harshly,  and  all  fall  in. 
These  sounds  seem  to  awaken  a  sort  of  esprit  de  corps  in  those 
who  have  once  been  slaves.  My  attendants  now  jumped  up, 
and  would  scarcely  allow  me  time  to  dress  when  they  heard  the 
sounds  of  their  childhood,  and  all  day  they  were  among  the  fore- 
most. One  said  to  me  that  his  feet  were  rotten  with  marching,"' 
and  this  though  told  that  they  were  not  called  on  to  race  along 
like  slaves. 

The  Africans  can  not  stand  sneers.  When  any  mishap  occurs 
in  the  march  (as  when  a  branch  tilts  a  load  off  a  man's  shoulder), 
all  who  see  it  set  up  a  yell  of  derision :  if  any  thing  is  accident- 
ally spilled,  or  if  one  is  tired  and  sits  down,  the  same  yell  greets 
him,  and  all  are  excited  thereby  to  exert  themselves.  They 
hasten  on  with  their  loads,  and  hurry  with  the  sheds  they  build, 
the  masters  only  bringing  up  the  rear,  and  helping  any  one  who 
may  be  sick.  The  distances  traveled  were  quite  as  much  as  the 
masters  or  we  could  bear.  Had  frequent  halls  been  made — as,  for 
instance,  a  half  or  a  quarter  of  an  hour  at  the  end  of  every  hour 
or  two — but  little  distress  would  have  been  felt;  but  five  hours 
at  a  stretch  is  more  than  men  can  bear  in  a  hot  climate.  The  fe- 
male slaves  held  on  bravely ;  nearly  all  carried  loads  on  their 
heads ;  the  head,  or  lady  of  the  party,  who  is  also  the  wife  of  the 
Arab,  was  the  only  exception.  She  had  a  fine  white  shawl,  with 
ornaments  of  gold  and  silver  on  her  head.  These  ladies  had  a 
jaunty  walk,  and  never  gave  in  on  the  longest  march:  many 
pounds'  weight  of  fine  copper  leglets  above  the  ankles  seemed 
only  to  help  the  sway  of  their  walk.  As  soon  as  they  arrive  at 
the  sleeping-place  they  begin  to  cook;  and  in  this  art  they  show 
a  good  deal  of  expertne-ss,  making  savory  dishes  for  their  masters 
out  of  wild  fruits  and  other  not  very  likely  materials. 

November  3(1. — The  ranges  of  hills  retire  as  we  advance;  the 
soil  is  very  rich.    At  two  villages  the  people  did  not  want  us; 


STAET  FOB  MOERO. 


197 


SO  we  went  on  and  encamped  near  a  third,  Kabwakwa,  where 
a  son  of  Mohamad  bin  Saleh,  with  a  number  of  Wanyamwesi, 
hves.  The  chief  of  this  part  is  Muabo,  but  we  did  not  see  him : 
the  people  brought  plenty  of  food  for  us  to  buy.  The  youth's 
father  is  at  Casembe's.  The  country  people  were  very  much 
given  to  falsehood:  every  place  inquired  for  was  near:  ivory 
abundant — provisions  of  all  sorts  cheap  and  plenty.  Our  head 
men  trusted  to  these  statements  of  this  young  man  rather,  and  he 
led  them  to  desist  going  farther.  Rua  country  was  a  month  dis- 
tant, he  said,  and  but  little  ivory  there.  It  is  but  three  days  off". 
(We  saw  it  after  three  days.)  "  No  ivory  at  Casembe's,  or  here 
in  Buiie,  or  Kabuird"  He  was  right  as  to  Casembe.  Letters, 
however,  came  from  Hamees,  with  news  of  a  depressing  nature. 
Chitimba  is  dead,  and  so  is  Mambwd  Chitimba's  people  are 
fighting  for  the  chieftainship.  Great  hunger  prevails  there  now, 
the  Arabs  having  bought  up  all  the  food.  Moriri,  a  chief  dis- 
possessed of  his  country  by  Nsama,  wished  Hamees  to  restore  his 
possessions ;  but  Hamees  said  that  he  had  made  peace,  and  would 
not  interfere. 

Tliis  unfavorable  news  from  a  part  where  the  chief  results  of 
their  trading  were  deposited,  made  Syde  and  Tipo  Tipo  decide  to 
remain  in  Buire  only  ten  or  twenty  days,  send  out  people  to  buy 
what  ivory  they  could  find,  and  then  retire. 

As  Syde  and  Tipo  Tipo  were  sending  men  to  Casembe  for  ivory,  I 
resolved  to  go  thither  first,  instead  of  shaping  my  course  for  Ujiji. 

Very  many  cases  of  goitre  in  men  and  women  here:  I  see  no 
reason  for  it.  This  is  only  three  thousand  three  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  above  the  sea. 

November  7th. — Start  for  Moero,  convoyed  by  all  the  Arabs 
for  some  distance:  they  have  been  extremely  kind.  We  draw 
near  to  the  mountain-range  on  our  left,  called  Kakoma,  and  sleep 
at  one  of  Kaputa's  villages,  our  course  now  being  nearly  south. 

November  8lh. — Villages  arc  very  thickly  studded  over  the  val- 
ley formed  by  Kakoma  range,  and  another  at  a  greater  distance 
on  our  right.  One  or  two  hundred  yards  is  a  common  distance 
between  these  villages,  which,  like  those  in  Londa,  or  Lunda,  are 
all  shaded  with  trees  of  a  species  of  Ficus  ludica.  One  belongs 
to  Puta,  and  this  Puta,  the  paramount  chief,  sent  to  say  that  if 
we  slept  there,  and  gave  him  a  cloth,  he  would  send  men  to  con- 
duct us  next  day  and  ferry  us  across.  I  was  willing  to  remain, 
but  his  people  would  not  lend  a  liut,  so  we  came  on  to  the  Lake, 
and  no  ferry.  Probably  he  thought  that  we  were  going  across 
the  Lualaba  into  llua. 


198 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Lake  Moero  seems  of  goodly  size,  and  is  flanked  by  ranges  of 
mountains  on  the  east  and  west.  Its  banks  are  of  coarse  sand, 
and  slope  gradually  down  to  the  water.  Outside  these  banks 
stands  a  thick  belt  of  tropical  vegetation,  in  which  fishermen 
build  their  huts.  The  country  called  Rua  lies  on  the  west,  and 
is  seen  as  a  lofty  range  of  dark  mountains:  another  range  of  less 
height,  but  more  broken,  stands  along  the  eastern  shore,  and  in 
it  lies  the  path  to  Caserabe.  We  slept  in  a  fisherman's  hut  on 
the  north  shore.  They  brought  a  large  fish,  called  "  monde,"  for 
sale ;  it  has  a  slimy  skin  and  no  scales,  a  large  head,  with  tenta- 
culae  like  the  Siluridas,  and  large  eyes:  the  great  gums  in  its 
mouth  have  a  brush-like. surface,  like  a  whale's  in  miniature:  it 
is  said  to  eat  small  fish.  A  bony  spine  rises  on  its  back  (I  sup- 
pose for  defense),  which  is  two  and  a  half  inches  long,  and  as 
thick  as  a  quill.    They  are  very  retentive  of  life. 

The  northern  shore  has  a  fine  sweep  like  an  unbent  bow,  and 
round  the  western  end  flows  the  water  that  makes  the  river  Lu- 
alaba,  which,  before  it  enters  Moero,  is  the  Luapula;  and  that 
again  (if  the  most  intelligent  reports  speak  true)  is  the  Chambez^ 
before  it  enters  Lake  Bemba,  or  Bangweolo. 

We  came  along  the  north  shore  till  we  reached  the  eastern 
flanking  range,  then  ascended  and  turned  south  ;  the  people  very 
suspicious,  shutting  their  gates  as  w,e  drew  near.  We  were  alone, 
and  only  nine  persons  in  all,  but  they  must  have  had  reason  for 
fear.  One  head  man  refused  us  admission,  then  sent  after  us,  say- 
ing that  the  man  who  had  refused  admission  was  not  the  chief: 
he  had  come  from  a  distance,  and  had  just  arrived.  It  being  bet- 
ter to  appear  friendly  than  otherwise,  we  went  back,  and  were 
well  entertained.  Provisions  were  given  when  we  went  away. 
Flies  abound,  and  are  very  troublesome ;  they  seem  to  be  attract- 
ed by  the  great  numbers  of  fish  caught.  The  people  here  are 
Babemba,  but  beyond  the  River  Kalongosi  they  are  all  Balunda. 

A  trade  in  salt  is  carried  on  from  different  salt  springs  and  salt 
mud  to  Lunda  and  elsewhere.  We  meet  parties  of  salt- traders 
daily,  and  they  return  our  salutations  very  cordially,  rubbing 
earth  on  the  ar.ms.  We  find  our  path  lies  between  two  ranges 
of  mountains,  one  flanking  the  eastern  shore,  the  other  about 
three  miles  more  inland,  and  parallel  to  it :  these  are  covered 
thickly  with  trees,  and  are  of  loosely  coherent  granite.  Many 
villages  are  in  the  space  inclosed  by  these  ranges,  but  all  insecure. 

November  12///. — Wc  came  to  the  Kalongosi,  or,  as  the  Arabs 
and  Portuguese  pronounce  it,  Karungwcsi,  about  sixty  yards 
wide,  and  flowing  fast  over  stones.    It  is  deep  enough,  even  now 


THE  KALONGOSI  RIVEB. 


199 


when  the  rainy  season  is  not  commenced,  to  require  canoes.  It 
is  said  to  rise  in  Kumbi,  or  Afar,  a  country  to  the  south-east  of 
our  ford.  Fish  in  great  numbers  are  caught  when  ascending  to 
spawn :  they  are  secured  by  weirs,  nets,  hooks.  Large  strong 
baskets  are  placed  in  the  rapids,  and  filled  with  stones;  when 
the  water  rises  these  baskets  are  standing- places  for  the  fisher- 
men to  angle  or  throw  their  nets.  Having  crossed  the  Kalongosi, 
we  were  now  in  Lunda,  or  Londa. 

Novemher  ISth. — We  saw  that  the  Kalongosi  went  north  till  it 
mep  a  large  meadow  on  the  shores  of  Moero,  and,  turning  west- 
ward, it  entered  there.  The  fishermen  gave  us  the  names  of. 
thirty-nine  species  of  fish  in  the  Lake :  they  said  that  they  never 
cease  ascending  the  Kalongosi,  though  at  times  they  are  more 
abundant  than  at  others.    They  are  as  follows: 

Monde,  Mota,  Lasa,  Kasibe,  Molobe,  Lopembd,  Motoya,  Chipan- 
sa,  Mpifu,  Manda,  Mpala,  Moombo,  Mfeu,  Mendd,  Sense,  Kadia 
nkololo,  Etiaka,  Nkomo,  Lifisha,  Sambamkaka,  Ntondo,  Sampa, 
Bongwc,  Mabanga,  Kise,  Kuanya,  Nkosu,  Pale,  Mosungu,  Litemb- 
wa,  Mechebere,  Koninchia,  Sipa,  Lomembe,  Molenga,  Mironge, 
Nfindo,  Pcndd 

Novemher  \4:th. — Being  doubtful  as  to  whether  we  were  in  the 
right  path,  I  sent  to  a  village  to  inquire.  The  head  man,  evident- 
ly one  of  a  former  Casembe  school,  came  to  us  full  of  wrath. 
"What  right  bad  we  to  come  that  way,  seeing  the  usual  path 
was  to  our  left?"  He  mouthed  some  .sentences  in  the  pompous 
Lunda  style,  but  would  not  show  us  the  path  ;  so  we  left  him, 
and  after  going  through  a  forest  of  large  trees  four  and  a  half 
hours  south,  took  advantage  of  some  huts  on  the  Kifurwa  River, 
built  by  bark-cloth  cutters. 

Novemher  15th. — Heavy  rains,  but  we  went  on,  and  found  a 
village,  Kifurwa,  surrounded  by  cassava  fields,  and  next  day 
crossed  the  Muatoze,  twenty-five  yards  wide,  and  running  strong- 
ly toward  Moero,  knee-deep.  The  River  Kabukwa,  seven  yards 
wide,  and  also  knee-deep,  going  to  swell  the  Muatoze. 

We  now  crossed  a  brook,  Chirongo,  one  yard  wide  and  one 
deep;  but  our  march  was  all  through  well-grown  forest,  chiefly 
gum-copal-trces  and  bark-cloth-trees.  The  gum-copal  oozes  out 
in  abundance  after  or  during  the  rains,  from  holes  a  quarter  of 
an  inch  in  diameter,  made  by  an  insect:  it  falls,  and  in  time  sinks 
into  the  soil,  a  supply  for  future  generations.  The  small  well- 
rounded  features  of  the  people  of  Nsama's  country  are  common 
here,  as  we  observe  in  the  salt-traders  and  villages;  indeed,  this 
is  the  home  of  the  Negro,  and  the  features  such  as  we  see  in  pic- 

U 


200 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


tures  of  ancient  Egyptians,  as  first  pointed  out  by  Mr.  Winwood 
Keade.  We  sleep  by  the  Eiver  Mandapala,  twelve  yards  wide, 
and  knee-deep. 

November-  18(h.  —  "We  rest  by  the  Kabusi,  a  sluggish,  narrow 
rivulet.  It  runs  into  the  Chungu,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  off.  The 
Chungu  is  broad,  but  choked  with  trees  and  aquatic  plants — 
Sapotas,  Eschinomenas,  Papyrus,  etc.  The  free  stream  is  eight- 
een yards  wide,  and  waist-deep..  We  had  to  wade  about  one 
hundred  yards,  thigh  and  waist  deep,  to  get  to  the  free  stream. 

On  this,  the  Chungu,  Dr.  Lacerda  died;  it  is  joined  by  the 
Mandapala,  and  flows  a  united  stream  into  Moero.  The  state- 
ments of  the  people  are.  confused,  but  the  following  is  what  I 
have  gleaned  from  many :  there  were  some  Ujiji  people  with  the 
Casembe  of  the  time.  The  Portuguese  and  Ujijians  began  to 
fight,  but  Casembe  said  to  them  and  the  Portuguese,  "  You  are 
all  my  guests,  why  should  you  fight  and  kill  each  other?"  He 
then  gave  Lacerda  ten  slaves,  and  men  to  live  with  him  and  work 
at  building  huts,  bringing  fire-wood,  water,  etc.  He  made  similar 
presents  to  the  Ujijians,  which  quieted  them.  Lacerda  was  but 
ten  days  at  Chungu  when  he  died.  The  place  of  his  death  was 
about  9°  32',  and  not  8°  43'  as  in  Mr.  Arrowsmith's  map.  The 
feud  arose  from  one  of  Lacerda's  people  killing  an  Ujijian  at  the 
water:  this  would  certainly  be  a  barrier  to  their  movements. 

Palm-oil-trees  are  common  west  of  the  Chungu,  but  none  ap- 
peared east  of  it.  The  oil  is  eaten  by  the  people,  and  is  very 
nice  and  sweet.  This  is  remarkable,  as  the  altitude  above  the 
sea  is  three  thousand  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet. 

Allah  is  a  very  common  exclamation  among  all  the  people 
west  of  Nsama.  By  advice  of  a  guide  whom  we  picked  up  at 
Kifurwa,  we  sent  four  fathoms  of  calico  to  apprise  Casembe  of 
our  coming :  the  Arabs  usually  send  ten  fathoms.  In  our  case 
it  was  a  very  superfluous  notice,  for  Casembe  is  said  to  have  been 
telegraphed  to  by  runners  at  every  stage  of  our  progress  after 
crossing  the  Kalongosi. 

We  remain  by  the  Chungu  till  Casembe  sends  one  of  his  coun- 
selors to  guide  us  to  his  town.  It  has  been  so  pcrpetuall}'  cloud- 
ed over  that  we  have  been  unable  to  make  out  our  progress,  and 
the  dense  forest  prevented  us  seeing  Moero  as  we  wished:  rain  and 
thunder  perpetually,  though  the  rain  seldom  fell  where  we  were. 

I  saw  pure  white-headed  swallows  {P.mlid()p7-ocne  alhiccps)  skim- 
ming the  surface  of  the  Chungu  as  we  crossed  it.  The  soil  is  very 
rich.  Casembc's  ground-nuts  are  the  largest  I  have  seen,  and  so 
is  the  cassava. .  I  got  over  a  pint  of  palm-oil  for  a  cubit  of  calico. 


ABRIVES  AT  CASEMBE'S  TOWN. 


201 


A  fine  young  man,  whose  father  had  been  the  Casembe  before 
this  one,  came  to  see  us;  he  is  in  the  background  now,  otherwise 
he  would  have  conducted  us  to  the  village.  A  son  or  heir  does 
not  succeed  to  the  chieftainship  here. 

November  21si. — The  River  Lunde  was  five  miles  from  Chungu. 
It  is  six  yards  wide  where  we  crossed  it,  but  larger  farther  down ; 
springs  were  oozing  out  of  its  bed :  we  then  entered  on  a  broad 
plain  covered  with  bush,  the  trees  being  all  cleared  ofi'  in  build- 
ing a  village.  When  one  Casembe  dies,  the  man  who  succeeds 
^him  invariably  removes  and  builds  his  pembwe,  or  court,  at  an- 
other place :  when  Dr.  Lacerda  died,  the  Casembe  moved  to  near 
the  north  end  of  the  Mofwe.  There  have  been  seven  Casembes 
in  all.    The  word  means  a  general. 

The  plain  extending  from  the  Lunde  to  the.  town  of  Casembe 
is  level,  and  studded  pretty  thickly  with  red-ant  hills,  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  feet  high.  Casembe  has  made  a  broad  path  from  his 
town  to  the  Lunde,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  long,  and  as  broad 
as  a  carriage-path.  The  chief's  residence  is  inclosed  in  a  wall  of 
reeds,  eight  or  nine  feet  high  and  three  hundred  yards  square;  the 
gate-way  is  ornamented  with  about  sixty  human  skulls:  a  shed 
stands  in  the  middle  of  the  road  before  we  come  to  the  gate,  with 
a  cannon  dressed  in  gaudy  cloths.  A  number  of  noisy  fellows 
stopped  our  party,  and  demanded  tribute  for  the  cannon  ;  I  burst 
through  them,  and  the  rest  followed  without  giving  any  thing: 
they  were  afraid  of  the  English.  The  town  is  on  the  east  bank 
of  the  Lakelet  Mofwe,  and  one  mile  from  its  northern  end.  Mo- 
hamad bin  Saleh  now  met  us,  his  men  firing  guns  of  welcome; 
he  condLicted  us  to  his  shed  of  reception,  and  then  gave  us  a  hut 
till  we  could  build  one  of  our  own.  Mohamad  is  a  fine,  portly 
black  Arab,  with  a  pleasant  smile  and  pure  white  beard,  and  has 
been  more  than  ten  years  in  these  parts,  and  lived  with  four  Ca- 
sembes: he  has  considerable  influence  here,  and  also  on  Tanganyika. 

An  Arab  trader,  Mohamad  Bogarib,  who  arrived  seven  days 
before  us  with  an  immense  number  of  slaves,  presented  a  meal 
of  vermicelli,  oil,  and  honey,  also  cassava-mcal  cooked,  so  as  to 
resemble  a  sweetmeat  (I  had  not  tasted  honey  or  sugar  since  we 
,  left  Lake  Nyassa,  in  September,  1806):  they  had  coffee  too. 

Neither  goats,  sheep,  nor  cattle  thrive  here,  so  the  people  arc 
confined  to  fowls  and  fish.  Cassava  is  very  extensively  cultiva- 
ted ;  indeed,  so  generally  is  this  plant  grown,  that  it  is  impossible 
to  know  which  is  town  and  which  is  country:  every  hut  has  a 
plantation  around  it,  in  which  is  grown  cassava,  Holcus  sorghum, 
tnaize,  beans,  nuts. 


202 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Mohamad  gives  the  same  account  of  the  River  Luapula  and 
Lake.Bemba  that  Jumbe  did,  but  be  adds  that  the  Chambez^, 
where  we  crossed  it,  is  the  Luapula  before  it  enters  Bemba  or 
Bancfweolo.  On  cominp;  out  of  that  lake  it  turns  round  and 
comes  away  to  the  north,  as  Luapula,  and,  without  touching  the 
Mofw^,  goes  into  Moero;  then,  emerging  thence  at  the  north- 
west end,  it  becomes  Lualaba,  goes  into  Rua,  forms  a  lake  there, 
and  afterward  goes  into  another  lake  beyond  Tanganyika. 

The  Lakelet  Mofwe  fills  during  the  rains,  and  spreads  west- 
ward, much  beyond  its  banks.  Elephants  wandering  in  its  mud 
flats  when  covered  are  annually  killed  in  numbers:  if  it  were 
connected  with  the  Lake  Moero  the  flood  would  run  off'. 

Many  of  Casembe's  people  appear  with  the. ears  cropped  and 
hands  lopped  off":  the  present  chief  has  been  often  guilty  of  this 
barbarity.  One  man  has  just  come  to  us  without  ears  or  hands: 
he  tries  to  excite  our  pity,  making  a  chirruping  noise  by  striking 
his  cheeks  with  the  stumps  of  his  hands. 

A  dwarf  also,  one  Zofu,  with  backbone  broken,  comes  about 
us:  he  talks  with  an  air  of  authority,  and  is  present  at  all  public 
occurrences:  the  people  seem  to  bear  with  him.  He  is  a  stran- 
ger, from  a  tribe  in  the  north,  and  works  in  his  garden  very  brisk- 
ly :  his  height  is  three  feet  nine  inches. 


CASEMBE  AND  HIS  WIFE. 


203 


CHAPTER  X. 

Grand  Reception  of  the  Traveler. — Casembe  and  his  Wife. — Long  Stay  in  the  Town. — 
Goes  to  explore  Moero. — Dispatch  to  Lord  Clarendon,  with  Notes  on  recent  Trav- 
els.— Illness  at  the  End  of  1867. — Farther  Exploration  of  Lake  Moero  — Flooded 
Plains. — The  Kiver  Luao. — Visits  Kabwawata. — Joy  of  Arabs  at  Mohamad  bin  Sa- 
leh's  Freedom. — Again  ill  with  Fever. — Stories  of  under-ground  Dwellings. 

November  24:th,  1867. — We  were  called  to  be  presented  to  Ca- 
sembe in  a  grand  reception. 

The  pre.sent  Casembe  has  a  heavy,  uninteresting  countenance, 
without  beard  or  whiskers,  and  somewhat  of  the  Chinese  type, 
and  his  eyes  have  an  outward  squint.  He  smiled  but  once  during 
the  day,  and  that  was  pleasant  enough,  though  the  cropped  ears 
and  lopped  hands,  with  human  skulls  at  the  gate,  made  me  indis- 
posed to  look  on  any  thing  with  favor.  His  principal  wife  came 
with  her  attendants,  after  he  had  departed,  to  look  at  the  English- 
man (Moengerese).  She  was  a  fine,  tall,  good-featured  lady,  with 
two  spears  in  her  hand.  The  principal  men  who  had  come  around 
made  way  for  her,  and  called  on  me  to  salute  :  I  did  so ;  but  she, 
being  forty  yards  off,  I  involuntarily  beckoned  her  to  come  nearer : 
this  upset  the  gravity  of  all  her  attendants ;  all  burst  into  a  laugh, 
and  ran  off". 

Casembe's  smile  was  elicited  by  the  dwarf  making  some  un- 
couth antics  before  him.  His  executioner  also  came  forward  to 
look:  he  bad  a  broad  Lunda  sword  on  his  arm,  and  a  curious 
scissor-like  instrument  at  his  neck  for  cropping  ears.  On  saying 
to  him  that  his  was  nasty  work,  he  smiled,  and  so  did  many  who 
were  not  sure  of  their  ears  a  moment ;  many  men  of  respectabili- 
ty show  that  at  some  former  time  they  have  been  thus  punished. 
Casembe  sent  us  another  large  basket  of  fire-dried  fish  in  addition 
to  that  sent  us  at  Chungu,  two  baskets  of  flour,  one  of  dried  cas- 
sava, and  a  pot  of  pombe,  or  beer.  Mohamad,  who  was  accustom- 
ed to  much  more  liberal  Casembes,  thinks  this  one  very  stingy, 
having  neither  generosity  nor  good  sense;  but  as  we  can  not  con- 
sume all  he  gives,  we  do  not  complain. 

November  21lh. — Casembe's  chief  wife  passes  frequently  to  her 
plantation,  carried  by  six,  or  more  commonly  by  twelve,  men  in 
a  sort  of  palanquin :  she  has  European  features,  but  light-brown 
complexion.  A  number  of  men  run  before  her,  brandishing 
swords  and  battle-axos.  and  one  bents  a  hollow  instrument,  "iv- 


ii 


204 


LiriXa STONE'S  LAST  JOUBXALS. 


ing  warning  to  passengers  to  clear  the  way :  she  has  two  enor- 
mous pipes  ready  tilled  for  smoking.  She  is  very  attentive  to 
her  agriculture;  cassava  is  the  chief  product;  sweet -potatoes, 
maize,  sorghum,  pennisetum,  millet,  ground-nuts,  cotton.  The 
people  seem  more  savage  than  any  I  have  yet  seen  :  they  strike 
each  other  barbarously  from  mere  wantonness,  but  they  are  civil 
enough  to  me. 

Mohamad  bin  Saleh  proposes  to  go  to  Ujiji  next  month.  He 
waited  when  he  heard  of  our  coming,  in  order  that  we  might  go 
together.  He  has  a  very  low  opinion  of  the  present  chief.  The 
area  which  has  served  for  building  the  chief  town  at  different 
times  is  about  ten  miles  in  diameter. 

Mofwe  is  a  shallow  piece  of  water  about  twd  miles  broad,  four 
or  less  long,  full  of  sedgy  islands,  the  abodes  of  water-fowl ;  but 
some  are  solid  enough  to  be  cultivated.  The  bottom  is  mud, 
though  sandy  at  the  east  shore:  it  has  no  communication  with 
the  Luapula. 

November  28th. — The  Lunde,  Chungu,  and  Mandapala  are  said 
to  join  and  flow  into  Moero.  Fish  are  in  great  abundance 
(perch).  On  the  west  side  there  is  a  grove  of  palm-oil  palms, 
and  beyond,  west,  rises  a  long  range  of  mountains  of  the  liua 
country  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  off. 

December  l.s<,  1867.  —  An  old  man  named  Perembd  is  the 
owner  of  the  land  on  which  Casembe  has  built.  They  always 
keep  up  the  traditional  ownership.  Munongo  is  a  brother  of 
P^rdmbe,  and  he  owns  the  country  east  of  the  Kalongosi.  If  any 
one  wished  to  cultivate  land  he  would  apply  to  these  aboriginal 
chiefs  for  it. 

I  asked  a  man  from  Casembe  to  guide  me  to  the  south  end  of 
Moero,  but  he  advised  me  not  to  go,  as  it  was  so  marshy.  The 
Lunde  forms  a  marsh  on  one  side,  and  the  Luapula  lots  water 
j)ercolate  through  sand  and  mud,  and  so  does  the  Robukwc, 
which  makes  the  path  often  knee-deep.  He  said  he  would  send 
men  to  conduct  me  to  Moero,  a  little  fortlier  down,  and  added 
that  we  had  got  very  little  to  cat  from  him,  and  he  wanted  to 
give  more.    Moero's  south  end  is  about  9°  30'  S. 

Old  Pcremb(i  is  a  sensible  man :  Mohamad  thinks  him  one 
hundred  and  fifty  years  old.  He  is  always  on  the  side  of  liberal- 
ity and  fairness;  he  says  that  the  first  Casembe  was  attracted  to 
Mofwd  by  the  abundance  of  fish  in  it.  He  has  the  idea  of  all 
men  being  derived  from  a  single  pair. 

December  7th. — It  is  very  cloudy  hei'e :  no  observations  can  be 
made,  as  it  clouds  over  every  afternoon  and  niglit. 


LEAVES  CASEMBE'S  TOWX. 


205 


December  8th,  11th. — Cleared  off  last  night,  but  intermittent  fe- 
ver prevented  my  going  out. 

December  IZth. — Set-in  rains.  A  number  of  fine  young  girls 
who  live  in  Casembe's  compound  came  and  shook  hands  in  their 
way,  which  is  to  cross  the  right  over  to  your  left,  and  clasp  them  ; 
then  give  a  few  claps  with  both  hands,  and  repeat  the  crossed 
clasp:  they  want  to  tell  their  children  that  they  have  seen  me. 

December  16th. — To-day  I  announced  to  Casembe  our  intention 
of  going  away.  Two  traders  got  the  same  return  present  from 
him  that  I  did — namely,  one  goat  and  some  fish,  meal,  and  cassa- 
va. I  am  always  ill  when  not  working.  I  spend  my  time  writ- 
ing letters,  to  be  ready  when  we  come  to  Ujiji. 

December  ISth. — We  have  been  here  a  month,  and  I  can  not 
get  more  than  two  lunars:  I  got  altitudes  of  the  meridian  of  stars 
north  and  south  goon  after  we  came,  but  not  lunars.  Casembe 
sent  a  big  basket  of  fire-dried  fish,  two  pots  of  beer,  and  a  basket 
of  cassava,  and  says  we  may  go  when  we  choose. 

December  19th.  —  On  going  to  say  good-ljj^e  to  Casembe,  he 
tried  to  be  gracious,  said  that  we  had  eaten  but  little  of  his  food ; 
yet  he  allowed  us  to  go.  He  sent  for  a  man  to  escort  us ;  and  on 
December  22d  we  went  to  Lunde  Eiver,  crossed  it,  and  went  on 
to  sleep  at  the  Chungu,  close  by  the  place  where  Casembe's  court 
stood  when  Dr.  Lacerda  came,  for  the  town  was  moved  farther 
west  as  soon  as  the  doctor  died.  There  are  many  palm-oil 
palms  about,  but  no  tradition  exists  of  their  introduction. 

December  23(1 — We  crossed  the  Chungu.  Eain  from  above, 
and  cold  and  wet  to  the  waist  below,  as  I  do  not  lift  my  shirt,  be- 
cause the  white  skin  makes  all  stare.  I  saw  black  monkeys  at 
this  spot.  The  Chungu  is  joined  by  the  Kaleusi  and  the  Manda- 
pala  before  it  enters  Moero.  Casembe  said  that  the  Lunde  ran 
into  Mofwd;  others  denied  this,  and  said  that  it  formed  a  marsh, 
with  numbers  of  pools  in  long  grass ;  but  it  may  ooze  into  Mofw6 
thu.s.    Casembe  sent  three  men  to  guide  me  to  Moero. 

December  2-ith. — Drizzly  laiii,  aiid  we  are  in  a  miserable  spot 
by  the  Kabusi,  in  a  bed  of  brakens  four  feet  high.  The  guides 
will  not  stir  in  this  weather.  I  gave  beads  to  buy  what  could 
be  got  for  Christmas. 

December  25///. — Drizzly  showers  every  now  and  then  ;  soil, 
black  mud.  About  ten  men  came  as  guides  and  as  a  convoy  of 
honor  to  Mohamad. 

December  27///. — In  two  hours  wc  crossed  Mandapala,  now 
waist-deep.  This  part  was  well  stocked  with  people  five  years 
ago,  but  Casembe's  severity  in  cropping  ears  and  other  mutila- 


206 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


tions,  selling  the  claildren  for  slight  offenses,  etc.,  made  them  all 
flee  to  neighboring  tribes ;  and  now,  if  he  sent  all  over  the  coun- 
try, he  could  not  collect  a  thousand  men. 

[Livingstone  refers  (on  December  15th)  to  some  writings  he 
was  engaged  upon,  and  we  find  one  of  them  here  in  his  journal 
which  takes  the  form  of  a  dispatch  to  Lord  Clarendon,  with  a  note 
attached  to  the  effect  that  it  was  not  copied  or  sent,  as  he  had  no 
paper  for  the  purpose.  It  affords  an  e})itomized  description  of 
his  late  travels,  and  the  stay  at  Casembe,  and  is  inserted  here  in 
the  place  of  many  notes  written  daily,  but  which  only  repeat  the 
same  events  and  observations  in  a  less  readable  form.  It  is  es- 
pecially valuable  at  this  stage  of  his  journal,  because  it  treats  on 
the  whole  geography  of  the  district  between  Lakes  Nyassa  and 
Moero,  with  a  broad  handling  which  is  impossible  in  the  mere 
jottings  of  a  diary.] 

Town  of  Casembe,  December  10th,  18G7. 
Lat.  9°  37'  13  "  S.  ;  long.  28°  E. 

The  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Clarendon. 

My  Lord, — The  first  opportunity  I  had  of  sending  a  letter  to 
the  coast  occurred  in  February  last,  when  I  was  at  a  village 
called  Molemba  (lat.  10°  14'  S. ;  long.  31°  46'  E.),  in  the  country 
named  Lobemba.  Lobisa,  Lobemba,  Ulungu,  and  Itawa-Lunda 
are  the  names  by  which  the  districts  of  an  elevated  region  be- 
tween the  parallels  11°  and  8°  S.,  and  meridians  28°-33°  long.  E. 
are  known.  The  altitude  of  this  upland  is  from  four  thousand  to 
six  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  It  is  generally  cov- 
ered with  forest,  well  watered  by  numerous  rivulets,  and  compara- 
tively cold.  The  soil  is  very  rich,  and  yields  abundantly  wherever 
cultivated.  This  is  the  water-shed  between  the  Loangwa,  a  trib- 
utary of  the  Zambesi,  and  several  rivers  which  flow  toward  the 
north.  Of  the  latter,  the  most  remarkable  is  the  Chambez^,  for 
it  assists  in  the  formation  of  three  lakes,  and  changes  its  name 
three  times  in  the  five  or  six  hundred  miles  of  its  course. 

On  leaving  Lobemba,  we  entered  Ulungu,  and,  as  we  proceed- 
ed northward  perceived  by  the  barometers  and  the  courses  of 
numerous  rivulets  that  a  decided  slope  lay  in  that  direction.  A 
friendly  old  Ulungu  chief,  named  Kasonso,  on  hearing  that  I 
wished  to  visit  Lake  Liemba,  which  lies  in  his  country,  gave  his 
son,  with  a  large  escort,  to  guide  mc  hither;  and  on  the  2d  of 
April  last  we  reached  the  brim  of  the  deep  cup-like  cavity  in 
which  the  Lake  reposes.  The  descent  is  two  thousand  feet,  and 
still  the  surface  of  the  water  is  upward  of  twenty-five  hundred 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.    The  sides  of  the  hollow  arc  very 


DISPATCH  TO  LORD  CLABESDOX. 


207 


steep,  and  sometimes  the  rocks  run  the  whole  two  thousand  feet 
sheer  down  to  the  water.  Nowhere  is  there  three  miles  of  level 
land  from  the  foot  of  the  cliffs  to  the  shore ;  but  top,  sides,  and 
bottom  are  covered  with  well-grown  wood  and  grass,  except 
where  the  bare  rocks  protrude.  The  scenery  is  extremely  beau- 
tiful. The  "Aeasy,"  a  stream  of  fifteen  yards  broad  and  thigh- 
deep,  came  down  alongside  our  precipitous  path,  and  formed  cas- 
cades by  leaping  three  hundred  feet  at  a  time.  These,  with  the 
bright  red  of  the  clay  schists  among  the  greenwood-trees,  made 
the  dullest  of  my  attendants  pause  and  remark  with  wonder. 
Antelopes,  buffaloes,  and  elephants  abound  on  the  steep  slopes; 
and  hippopotami,  crocodiles,  and  fish  swarm  in  the  water.  Gnus 
are  here  unknown,  and  these  animals  may  live  to  old  age,  if 
not  beguiled  into  pit-falls.  The  elephants  sometimes  eat  the  crops 
of  the  natives,  and  flap  their  big  ears  just  outside  the  village 
stockades.  One  got  out  of  our  way  on  to  a  comparatively  level 
spot,  and  then  stood  and  roared  at  us.  Elsewhere  they  make 
clear  off  at  sight  of  man. 

The  first  village  we  came  to  on  the  banks  of  the  Lake  had  a 
grove  of  palm-oil  and  other  trees  around  it.  Tliis  palm-tree  was 
not  the  dwarf  species  seen  on  Lake  Nyassa.  A  cluster  of  the 
fruit  passed  the  door  of  my  hut  wliich  required  two  men  to  carry 
it.  The  fruit  seemed  quite  as  large  as  those  on  the  West  Coast. 
Most  of  the  natives  live  on  two  islands,  where  they  cultivate  the 
soil,  rear  goats,  and  catch  fish.  The  Lake  is  not  large,  from  fif- 
teen to  twenty  miles  broad,  and  from  thirty  to  forty  long.  It  is 
the  receptacle  of  four  considerable  streams,  and  sends  out  an  arm 
two  miles  broad  to  the  north-north-west,  it  is  said  to  Tanganyi- 
ka, and  it  may  be  a  branch  of  that  Lake.  One  of  the  streams, 
the  Lonzua,  drives  a  smooth  body  of  water  into  the  Lake  fifty 
yards  broad  and  ten  fathoms  deep,  bearing  on  its  surface  duck- 
weed and  grassy  islands.  I  could  see  the  mouths  of  other  streams, 
but  got  near  enough  to  measure  the  Lofu  only  ;  and  at  a  ford  fifty 
miles  from  the  confluence  it  was  one  hundred  yards  wide  and 
waist-deep  in  the  dry  sea.son. 

We  remained  six  weeks  on  the  shores  of  the  Lake,  trying  to 
pick  up  some  flesh  and  strength.  A  party  of  Arabs  came  into 
Ulungu  after  us  in  search  of  ivory,  and  hearing  that  an  English- 
man had  preceded  them,  naturally  inquired  where  I  was.  But 
our  friends,  the  Biiulungu,  suspecting  that  mi.schief  was  meant, 
stoutly  denied  that  they  had  ever  seen  any  tiling  of  the  sort; 
and  then  became  very  urgent  that  I  should  go  on  to  one  of  the 
inhabited  islands  for  safety.    I  regret  that  I  suspected  them  of 


•208 


LiriXCrSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


intending  to  make  me  a  prisoner  there,  which  they  could  easily 
have  done  by  removing  the  canoes;  but  when  the  villagers  who 
deceived  the  Arabs  told  me  afterward,  with  an  air  of  triumph, 
how  nicel}^  they  had  managed,  I  saw  that  they  had  only  been 
anxious  for  my  safety.  On  three  occasions  the  same  friendly 
disposition  was  shown ;  and  when  we  went  round  the  west  side 
of  the  Lake  in  order  to  examine  the  arm  or  branch  above  refer- 
red to,  the  head  man  at  the  confluence  of  the  Lofu  protested  so 
strongly  against  my  going — the  Arabs  had  been  fighting,  and  I 
might  be  mistaken  for  an  Arab,  and  killed — that  I  felt  half  in- 
clined to  believe  him.  Two  Arab  slaves  entered  the  village  the 
same  afternoon  in  search  of  ivory,  and  confirmed  all  he  had  said. 
We  now  altered  our  course,  intending  to  go  south  about  the  dis- 
trict disturbed  by  the  Arabs.  When  we  had  gone  sixty  miles, 
we  heard  that  the  head-quarters  of  the  Arabs  were  twenty-two 
miles  farther.  They  had  found  ivory  very  cheap,  and  pushed  on 
to  the  west,  till  attacked  by  a  chief  named  Nsama,  whom  they 
beat  in  his  own  stockade.  They  were  now  at  a  lo.ss  which  way 
to  turn.  On  reaching  Chitimba's  village  (lat.  8°  57'  55"  S. ; 
long.  30°  20'  E.),  I  found  them  about  six  hundred  in  all ;  and, 
on  presenting  a  letter  I  had  from  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar,  was 
immediately  supplied  with  provisions,  beads,  and  cloth.  They 
approved  of  my  plan  of  passing  to  the  south  of  Nsama's  coun- 
try, but  advised  waiting  till  the  effects  of  punishment,  which  the 
Baulungu  had  resolved  to  inflict  on  Nsama  for  breach  of  public 
law,  were  known.  It  had  always  been  understood  that  whoever 
brought  goods  into  the  country  was  to  be  protected ;  and  two 
hours  after  my  arrival  at  Chitimba's,  the  son  of  Kasonso,  our 
guide,  marched  in  with  his  contingent.  It  was  anticipated  that 
Nsama  might  flee:  if  to  the  north,  he  would  leave  mc  a  free  pas- 
sage through  his  country  ;  if  to  the  south,  I  might  be  saved  from 
walking  into  his  hands.  But  it  turned  out  that  Nsama  was  anx- 
ious for  peace.  He  had  sent  two  men  with  elephants'  tusks  to 
begin  a  negotiation  ;  but  treachery  was  suspected,  and  they  were 
shot  down.  Another  effort  was  made  with  ten  goats,  and  re- 
pulsed. This  was  much  to  the  regret  of  the  head  Arabs.  It  was 
fortunate  for  me  that  the  Arab  goods  were  not  all  sold,  for  Lake 
Moero  lay  in  Nsama's  country,  and  without  peace  no  ivorj'  could 
be  bought,  nor  could  I  reach  the  Lake.  The  peace-making  be- 
tween the  people  and  Arabs  was,  however,  a  tedious  process,  oc- 
cupying three  and  a  half  months — drinking  each  other's  blood. 
This,  as  I  saw  it  west  of  this  in  1854,  is  not  more  horrible  than 
the  thirtieth  dilution  of  deadly  nightshade,  or  strychnine,  is  in 


DESCRIPTIVE  BESUMH. 


209 


homeopathy.  I  thought  that,  had  I  been  an  Arab,  I  could  easily 
swallow  that,  but  not  the  next  means  of  cementing  the  peace — 
marrying  a  black  wife.  Nsama's  daughter  was  the  bride,  and 
she  turned  out  very  pretty.  She  came  riding  pickaback  on  a 
man's  shoulders  :  this  is  the  most  dignified  conveyance  that  chiefs 
and  their  families  can  command.  She  had  ten  maids  with  her, 
each  carrying  a  basket  of  provisions,  and  all  having  the  same 
beautiful  features  as  herself.  She  was  taken  by  the  principal 
Arab,  but  soon  showed  that  she  preferred  her  father  to  her  hus- 
band; for,  seeing  preparations  made  to  send  off  to  purchase  ivory, 
she  suspected  that  her  father  was  to  be  attacked,  and  made  her 
escape.  I  then  visited  Nsama,  and,  as  he  objected  to  many  peo- 
ple coming  near  him,  took  only  three  of  my  eight  attendants. 
His  people  were  very  much  afraid  of  fire-arms,  and  felt  all  my 
clothing  to  see  if  I  had  any  concealed  on  my  person.  Ksama  is  an 
old  man,  with  head  and  foce  like  those  sculptured  on  the  Assyr- 
ian monuments.  He  has  been  a  great  conqueror  in  his  time,  and 
with  bows  and  arrows  was  invincible.  He  is  said  to  have  destroy- 
ed many  native  traders  from  Tanganyika;  but  twenty  Arab  guns 
made  him  flee  from  his  own  stockade,  and  caused  a  great  sensa- 
tion in  the  country.  He  was  much  taken  with  my  hair  and 
woolen  clothing;  but  his  people,  heedless  of  his  scolding,  so 
pressed  upon  us  that  we  could  not  converse,  and,  after  promising 
to  send  for  me  to  talk  during  the  night,  our  interview  ended. 
He  promised  guides  to  Moero,  and  sent  us  more  provisions  than 
we  could  carry;  but  showed  so  much  distrust,  that  after  all  we 
went  without  his  assistance. 

Nsama's  people  are  particularly  handsome.  Many  of  the  men 
have  as  beautiful  heads  as  one  could  find  in  an  assembly  of  Eu- 
ropeans. All  have  very  fine  forms,  with  small  hands  and  feet. 
None  of  the  West  Coast  ugliness,  from  which  most  of  our  ideas 
of  the  Negroes  are  derived,  is  here  to  be  seen.  No  prognathous 
jaws  nor  lark-heels  offended  the  sight.  My  observations  deep- 
ened the  impression  first  obtained  from  the  remarks  of  Winwood 
Reade,  that  the  typical  Negro  is  seen  in  the  ancient  Egyptian,  and 
not  in  the  ungainly  forms  which  grow  up  in  the  unhealthy  swamps 
of  the  West  Coast.  Indeed  it  is  probable  that  this  upland  forest 
region  is  the  true  home  of  the  Negro.  The  women  excited  the 
admiration  of  the  Arabs.  They  have  fine,  small,  well-formed  fea- 
tures: their  great  defect  is  one  of  fashion,  which  does  not  extend 
to  the  next  tribe;  they  file  their  teeth  to  points,  the  hussies,  and 
that  makes  their  smile  like  that  of  the  crocodile. 

Nsama's  country  is  called  Itawa,  and  his  principal  town  is  in 


210 


LIVIXGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUEXALS. 


lat  8°  55'  S.,  and  long.  29°  21'  E.  From  the  large  population 
he  had  under  him,  Itawa  is  in  many  parts  well  cleared  of  trees 
for  cultivation,  and  it  is  lower  than  Ulungu,  being  generally 
about  three  thousand  feet  above  the  sea.  Long  lines  of  tree-cov- 
ered hills,  raised  some  six  or  seven  hundred  feet  above  these  val- 
leys of  denudation,  prevent  the  scenery  from  being  monotonous. 
Large  game  is  abundant.  Elephants,  buffaloes,  and  zebras  grazed 
in  large  numbers  on  the  long  sloping  banks  of  a  river  called  Chi- 
sera,  a  mile  and  a  half  broad.  In  going  north  we  crossed  this 
river,  or  rather  marsh,  which  is  full  of  papyrus  plants  and  reeds. 
Our  ford  vvas  an  elephant's  path;  and  the  roots  of  the  papyrus, 
though  a  carpet  to  these  animals,  were  sharp  and  sore  to  feet 
usually  protected  by  shoes,  and  often  made  us  shrink  and  floun- 
der into  holes  chest- deep.  The  Chisera  forms  a  larger  marsh 
west  of  this,  and  it  gives  off  its  water  to  the  Kalongosi,  a  feeder 
of  Lake  Moero. 

The  Arabs  sent  out  men  in  all  directions  to  purchase  ivory ; 
but  their  victory  over  Nsama  had  created  a  panic  among  the 
tribes  which  no  verbal  assurances  could  allay.  If  Nsama  had 
been  routed  by  twenty  Arab  guns  no  one  could  stand  before 
them  but  Casembe;  and  Casembe  had  issued  strict  orders  to  his 
people  not  to  allow  the  Arabs  who  fought  Nsama  to  enter  his 
country.  They  did  not  attempt  to  force  their  way,  but  after  send- 
ing friendly  messages  and  presents  to  different  chiefs,  when  these 
were  not  cordially  received,  turned  off  in  some  other  direction, 
and  at  last,  despairing  of  more  ivory,  turned  homeward.  From 
first  to  last  they  were  extremely  kind  to  me,  and  showed  all  due 
respect  to  the  Sultan's  letter.  I  am  glad  that  I  was  witness  to 
their  mode  of  trading  in  ivory  and  slaves.  It  formed  a  complete 
contrast  to  the  atrocious  dealings  of  the  Kilwa  traders,  who  are 
supposed  to  be,  but  arc  not,  the  subjects  of  the  same  Sultan.  If 
one  wished  to  depict  the  slave-trade  in  its  most  attractive,  or 
rather  least  objectionable,  form,  he  would  accompany  those  gen- 
tlemen subjects  of  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar.  If  he  would  describe 
the  land  traffic  in  its  most  disgusting  phases,  he  would  follow  the 
Kilwa  traders  along  the  road  to  Nyassa,  or  the  Portuguese  half 
castes  from  Tette  to  the  River  Shire. 

Keeping  to  the  north  of  Nsama  altogether,  and  moving  west- 
ward, our  small  party  reached  the  north  end  of  Moero  on  the  8th 
of  November  last.  There  the  Lake  is  a  goodly  piece  of  water 
twelve  or  more  miles  broad,  and  flanked  on  the  east  and  west  by 
ranges  of  lofty  tree-covered  mountains.  The  range  on  the  west 
is  the  highest,  and  is  part  of  the  country  called  Rua-Moero ;  it 


DESCRIPTIVE  RESUME. 


211 


gives  off  a  river  at  its  north-west  end  called  Lualaba,  and  receives 
the  River  Kalongosi  (pronounced  by  the  Arabs  Karungwesi)  on 
the  east  near  its  middle,  and  the  rivers  Luapula  and  Rovukwe  at 
its  southern  extremity.  The  point  of  most  interest  in  Lake  Moero 
is  that  it  forms  one  of  a  chain  of  lakes,  connected  by  a  river  some 
five  hundred  miles  in  length.  First  of  all,  the  Chambeze  rises  in 
the  country  of  !N[ambwe,  north-east  of  Moleinba.  It  then  flows 
south-west  and  west  till  it  reaches  hit.  11°  S.,  and  long.  29°  E., 
where  it  forms  Lake  Bemba,  or  Bangweolo;  emerging  thence,  it 
assumes  the  new  name  Luapula,  and  comes  down  here  to  fall  into 
Moero.  On  going  out  of  this  lake,  it  is  known  hy  the  name 
Lualaba,  as  it  flows  north-west  in  Rua  to  form  another  lake,  with 
many  islands,  called  Urenge  or  Ulenge.  Beyond  this,  informa- 
tion is  not  positive  as  to  whether  it  enters  Tanganyika  or  another 
lake  beyond  that.  When  I  crossed  the  Chambeze,  the  similarity 
of  names  led  me  to  imagine  that  this  was  a  branch  of  the  Zambesi. 
The  natives  said,  "  No.  This  goes  south-west,  and  forms  a  very 
large  water  there."  But  I  had  become  prepossessed  with  the  idea 
that  Lake  Liemba  was  that  Bemba  of  which  I  had  heard  in  1863, 
and  we  had  been  so  starved  in  the  south  that  I  gladlj'  set  my  face 
north.  The  river-like  prolongation  of  Liemba  might  go  to  Moero, 
and  where  I  could  not  follow  the  arm  of  Liemba.  Then  I  work- 
ed my  way  to  this  lake.  Since  coming  to  Casembe's,  the  testi- 
mony of  natives  and  Arabs  has  been  so  united  and  consistent  that 
I  am  but  ten  days  from  Lake  Bemba,  or  Bangweolo,  that  I  can 
not  doubt  its  accuracy.  I  am  so  tired  of  exploration  without  a 
word  from  home  or  anywhere  else  for  two  years,  that  I  must  go 
to  Ujiji,  or  Tanganyika,  for  letters  before  doing  any  thing  else. 
The  banks  and  country  adjacent  to  Lake  Bangweolo  are  reported 
to  be  now  very  muddy,  and  very  unhealthy.  I  have  no  medi- 
cine. The  inhabitants  suffer  greatly  from  swelled  thyroid  gland, 
or  Derbyshire  neck,  and  elephantiasis,  and  this  is  the  rainy  sea- 
son, and  very  unsafe  for  me. 

Wlien  at  the  lower  end  of  Moero,  wc  were  so  near  Casembe 
that  it  was  thought  well  to  ascertain  the  length  of  the  lake,  and 
see  Casembe  too.  Wc  came  up  between  the  double  range  that 
flanks  the  east  of  the  lake;  but  mountains  and  phiins  arc  so  cov- 
ered with  well-grown  forest  that  wc  could  seldom  see  it.  We 
reached  Casembe's  town  on  November  28th.  It  stands  near  the 
north  end  of  the  Lakelet  Mofwc;  this  is  from  one  to  three  miles 
broad,  and  .some  six  or  seven  long  :  it  is  full  of  sedgy  islands,  and 
abounds  in  fish.  The  country  is  quite  level,  but  fifteen  or  twen- 
ty miles  west  of  Mofwe  wc  see  a  long  range  of  the  mountains  of 


212 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Eua.  Between  this  range  and  Mofwe  the  Luapula  flows  past 
into  Moero,  the  lake  called  Moero-okata  =  the  great  Moero,  being 
about  fift}^  miles  long.  The  town  of  Casembe  covers  a  mile 
square  of  cassava  plantations,  the  huts  being  dotted  over  that 
space.  Some  have  square  inclosures  of  reeds,  but  no  attempt 
has  been  made  at  arrangement :  it  might  be  called  a  rural  village 
rather  than  a  town.  No  estimate  could  be  formed  by  counting 
the  huts,  they  were  so  irregularly  planted,  and  hidden  by  cassa- 
va; but  my  impression  from  other  collections  of  huts  was  that 
the  population  was  under  a  thousand  souls.  The  court  or  com- 
pound of  Casembe — some  would  call  it  a  palace — is  a  square  in- 
closure  of  three  hundred  yards  by  two  hundred  yards.  It  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  hedge  of  high  reeds.  Inside,  where  Casembe  hon- 
ored me  with  a  grand  reception,  stands  a  gigantic  hut  for  Ca- 
sembe, and  a  score  of  small  huts  for  domestics.  The  queen's  hut 
stands  behind  that  of  the  chief,  with  a  number  of  small  huts  also. 
Most  of  the  inclosed  space  is  covered  with  a  plantation  of  cassava 
{Ourcus  purgaris),  and  cotton.  Casembe  sat  before  his  hut  on  a 
square  seat  placed  on  lion  and  leopard  skins.  He  was  clothed  in 
a  coarse  blue-and-white  Manchester  print  edged  with  red  baize, 
and  arranged  in  large  folds  so  as  to  look  like  a  crinoline  put  on 
wrong  side  foremost.  His  arms,  legs,  and  head  were  covered 
with  sleeves,  leggings,  and  cap  made  of  various  colored  beads  in 
neat  patterns :  a  crown  of  yellow  feathers  surmounted  his  cap. 
Each  of  his  head  men  came  forward,  shaded  by  a  huge,  ill-made 
umbrella,  and,  followed  by  his  dependents,  made  obeisance  to  Ca- 
sembe, and  sat  down  on  his  right  and  left:  various  bands  of  mu- 
sicians did  the  same.  When  called  upon,  I  rose  and  bowed,  and 
an  old  councilor,  with  his  ears  cropped,  gave  the  chief  as  full  an 
account  as  he  had  been  able  to  gather  during  our  stay  of  the  En- 
glish in  general,  and  my  antecedents  in  particular.  My  having 
passed  through  Lunda  to  the  west  of  Casembe,  and.  visited  chiefs 
of  whom  he  scarcely  knew  any  thing,  excited  most  attention. 
He  then  assured  me  that  I  was  welcome  to  his  country,  to  go 
where  I  liked,  and  do  what  I  chose.  We  then  went  (two  boys 
carrying  his  train  behind  him)  to  an  inner  apartment,  where  the 
articles  of  my  present  were  exhibited  in  detail.  He  had  exam- 
ined them  privately  before,  and  we  knew  that  he  was  satisfied. 
They  consisted  of  eight  yards  of  orange  -  colored  serge,  a  large 
striped  table-cloth ;  another  large  cloth,  made  at  Manchester,  in 
imitation  of  West  Coast  native  manufocture,  which  never  fails  to 
excite  the  admiration  of  Arabs  and  natives,  and  a  large  richly 
gilded  comb  for  the  back  hair,  such  as  ladies  wore  fifty  years  ago : 


11 


BESCRIPTIVE  BESUM£. 


213 


this  was  given  to  me  by  a  friend  at  Liverpool ;  and  as  Casembe 
and  Nsama's  people  cultivate  the  hair  into  large  knobs  behind, 
I  was  sure  that  this  article  would  tickle  the  fancy.  Casembe  ex- 
pressed himself  pleased,  and  again  bade  me  welcome. 

I  had  another  interview,  and  tried  to  dissuade  him  from  selling 
his  people  as  slaves.  He  listened  a  while,  then  broke  off  into  a 
tirade  on  the  greatness  of  his  country,  his  power  and  dominion, 
which  Mohamad  bin  Saleh,  who  has  been  here  for  ten  years, 
turned  into  ridicule,  and  made  the  audience  laugh  by  telling  how 
other  Lunda  chiefs  had  given  me  oxen  and  sheep,  while  Casembe 
had  only  a  poor  little  goat  and  some  fish  to  bestow.  He  insisted 
also  that  there  were  but  two  sovereigns  in  the  world,  the  Sultan 
of  Zanzibar  and  Victoria.  When  we  went,  on  a  third  occasion, 
to  bid  Casembe  farewell,  he  was  much  less  distant,  and  gave  me 
the  impression  that  I  could  soon  become  friends  with  him  ;  but 
he  has  an  ungainly  look,  and  an  outward  squint  in  each  eye.  A 
number  of  human  skulls  adorned  the  entrance  to  his  court-yard  ; 
and  great  numbers  of  his  principal  men  having  their  ears  crop- 
ped, and  some  with  their  hands  lopped  off,  showed  his  barbarous 
way  of  making  his  ministers  attentive  and  honest.  I  could  not 
avoid  indulging  a  prejudice  against  him. 

The  Portuguese  visited  Casembe  long  ago;  but  as  each  new 
Casembe  builds  a  new  town,  it  is  not  easy  to  fix  on  the  exact 
spot  to  which  strangers  came.  The  last  seven  Casembes  have  had 
their  towns  within  seven  miles  of  the  present  one.  Dr.  Lacerda, 
governor  of  Tette,  on  the  Zambesi,  was  the  only  visitor  of  scien- 
tific attainments,  and  he  died  at  the  rivulet  called  Chungu,  three 
or  four  miles  from  this.  The  spot  is  called  Nshinda,or  Inchinda, 
which  the  Portuguese  wrote  Lucenda,  or  Ucenda.  The  latitude 
given  is  nearly  fifty  miles  wrong ;  but  the  natives  say  that  he 
lived  only  ten  days  after  his  arrival;  and  if,  as  is  probable,  his 
mind  was  clouded  with  fever  when  he  last  observed,  those  who 
have  experienced  what  that  is  will  readily  excuse  any  mistake 
he  may  have  made.  His  object  was  to  accomplish  a  much-de- 
sired project  of  the  Portuguese  to  have  an  .overland  communica- 
tion between  their  eastern  and  western  possessions.  This  was 
never- made  by  any  of  the  Portuguese  nation;  but  two  black 
traders  succeeded  [)artially  with  a  part  of  tlie  distance,  crossing 
once  from  Cassange,  in  Angola,  to  Tcttc,  on  the  Zambesi,  and  re- 
turning with  a  letter  from  the  Governor  of  Mozambique.  It  is 
remarkable  that  this  journey,  which  was  less  by  a  thousand  miles 
than  from  sea  to  sea  and  back  again, should  have  forever  quench- 
ed all  white  Portuguese  aspirations  for  an  overland  route. 


214 


LIVIXGST02^E'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


The  different  Casembes  visited  by  the  Portuguese  seem  to 
have  varied  much  in  character  and  otherwise.  Pereira,  the  first 
visitor,  said  (I  quote  from  memory)  that  Casembe  had  twenty 
thousand  trained  soldiers,  watered  his  streets  daily,  and  sacrificed 
twenty  human  victims  every  day.  I  could  hear  nothing  of  hu- 
man sacrifices  now,  and  it  is  questionable  if  the  present  Casem- 
be could  bring  a  thousand  stragglers  into  the  field.  When  ho 
usurped  power  five  years  ago,  his  country  was  densely  peopled ; 
but  he  was  so  severe  in  his  punishments — cropping  the  ears,  lop- 
ping off  the  hands,  and  other  mutilations,  selling  the  children  for 
very  slight  offenses,  that  his  subjects  gradually  dispersed  them- 
selves in  the  neighboring  countries  beyond  his  power.  This  is 
the  common  mode  by  which  tyranny  is  cured  in  parts  like  these, 
where  fugitives  are  never  returned.  The  present  Casembe  is 
very  poor.  When  he  had  people  who  killed  elephants,  he  was 
too  stingy  to  share  the  profits  of  the  sale  of  the  ivory  with  his 
subordinates.  The  elephant-hunters  have  either  left  him  or  neg- 
lect hunting,  so  he  has  now  no  tusks  to  sell  to  the  Arab  traders 
who  come  from  Tanganyika.  Major  Monteiro,  the  third  Portu- 
guese who  visited  Casembe,  appears  to  have  been  badly  treated 
by  this  man's  predecessor,  and  no  other  of  his  nation  has  ventured 
so  far  since.  They  do  not  lose  much  by  remaining  away,  for  a 
little  ivory  and  slaves  are  all  that  Casembe  ever  can  have  to 
sell.  About  a  month  to  the  west  of  this  the  people  of  Katanga 
smelt  copper  ore  (malachite)  into  large  bars  shaped  like  the 
capital  letter  I.  They  may  be  met  with  of  from  fifty  to  a  hun- 
dred pounds'  weight  all  over  the  country,  and  the  inhabitants 
draw  the  copper  into  wire  for  armlets  and  leglets.  Gold  is  also 
found  at  Katanga,  and  specimens  were  lately  sent  to  the  Sultan 
of  Zanzibar. 

As  we  come  down  from  the  water-shed  toward  Tanganyika, 
we  enter  an  area  of  the  earth's  surface  still  disturbed  by  internal 
igneous  action.  A  hot  fountain  in  the  country  of  Nsama  is  often 
used  to  boil  cassava  and  maize.  Earthquakes  are  by  no  means 
rare.  We  experiencQd  the  shock  of  one  while  at  Cliitimba's  vil- 
lage, and  they  extend  as  far  as  Casembe's.  I  felt  as  if  afloat,  and 
as  huts  would  not  fall,  there  was  no  sense  of  danger:  some  of 
them  that  happened  at  night  set  the  fowls  a-cackling.  The  most 
remarkable  effect  of  this  one  was  that  it  changed  the  rates  of  the 
chronometers:  no  rain  fell  after  it.  No  one  had  access  to  the 
chronometers  but  myself,  and,  as  I  never  heard  of  this  effect  be- 
fore, I  may  mention  that  one  which  lost  with  great  regularity 
1".5  daily,  lost  15';  another,  whose  rate  since  leaving  the  coast 


THE  POTATO.— COTTON.  215 

was  15^,  lost  40^;  find  a  third,  which  gained  (S^  daily,  stopped  al- 
;  together.    Some  of  Nsama's  people  ascribed  the  earthquakes  to 
j  the  hot  fountain,  because  it  showed  unusual  commotion  on  these 
occasions;  another  hot  fountain  exists  nearer  Tanganyika  than 
Nsama's.  and  we  passed  one  on  the  shores  of  Moero. 

We  could  not  understand  why  the  natives  called  Moero  much, 
larger  than  Tanganyika  till  we  saw  both.    The  greater  lake  lies 
in  a  comparatively  narrow  trough,  with  high  land  on  each  side, 
i  which  is  always  visible ;  but  when  we  look  at  Moero,  to  the  south 
lof  the  mountains  of  Rua  on  the  west,  we  have  nothing  but  an 
[apparently  boundless  sea  horizon.    The  Luapula  and  Rovukwe 
;form  a  marsh  at  the  southern  extremity,  and  Casembe  dissuaded 
;me  from  entering  it,  but  sent  a  man  to  guide  me  to  different 
Ipoints  of  Moero  farther  down.    From  the  heights  at  which  the 
southern  portions  were  seen,  it  must  be  from  fort\'  to  sixty  miles 
j  broad.    From  the  south  end  of  the  mountains  of  Eua  (9°  4'  S. 
jlat.)  it  is  thirty-three  miles  broad.    No  native  ever  attempts  to 
cross  it  even  there.    Its  fisheries  are  of  great  value  to  the  inhab- 
itants, and  the  produce  is  carried  to  great  distances. 
||    Among  the  vegetable  products  of  this  region,  that  which  inter- 
iested  me  most  was  a  sort  of  potato.    It  does  not  belong  to  the 
Isolanaceou.s,  but  to  the  papilionaceous,  or  pea  family,  and  its 
'flowers  have  a  delightful  fiagrance.    It  is  easily  propagated  by 
'Small  cuttings  of  the  root  or  stalk.    The  tuber  is  oblong,  like  our 
kidney  potato,  and,  when  boiled,  tastes  exactly  like  our  common 
potato.    When  unripe,  it  has  a  slight  degree  of  bitterness,  and  it 
is  believed  to  be  wholesome ;  a  piece  of  the  root  eaten  raw  is  a 
'good  remedy  in  nausea.    It  is  met  with  on  the  uplands  alone, 
and  seems  incapable  of  bearing  much  lieat,  though  I  kept  some 
of  the  roots  without  earth  in  a  box,  which  was  carried  in  the  sun 
iiilmost  daily  for  six  months  without  destroying  their  vegetative 
power. 

It  is  remarkable  that,  in  all  the  central  regions  of  Africa  vis- 
ited, the  cotton  is  that  known  as  the  Pernambuco  variety.  It 
lias  a  long,  strong  staple,  seeds  clustered  together,  and  adherent 
to  each  other.  The  bushes,  eight  or  ten  feet  high,  have  woody 
stems,  and  the  people  make  strong  striped  black-and-white  shawls 
Df  the  cotton. 

It  was  pleasant  to  meet  the  palm-oil  palm  {Elais  Ouineaensis) 
it  Casembe's,  which  is  over  three  thousand  feet  above  the  level 
3f  the  sea.  The  oil  is  .sold  cheap,  but  no  tradition  exists  of  its 
introduction  into  the  country. 

I  send  no  sketch  of  the  country,  because  I  have  not  yet  passed 

15 


» 


216 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


over  a  sufficient  surface  to  give  a  connected  view  of  the  whole 
water-shed  of  this  region,  and  I  regret  that  I  can  not  recommend 
any  of  the  published  maps  I  have  seen  as  giving  even  a  tolerable 
idea  of  the  country.  One  bold  constructer  of  maps  has  tacked 
on  two  hundred  miles  to  the  north-west  end  of  Lake  Nyassa,  a 
feat  which  no  traveler  has  ever  ventured  to  imitate.  Another 
has  placed  a  river  in  the  same  quarter  running  three  or  four 
thousand  feet  up  hill,  and  named  it  the  "  New  Zambesi,"  be- 
cause, I  suppose,  the  old  Zambesi  runs  down  hill.  I  have  walk- 
ed over  both  these  mental  abortions,  and  did  not  know  that»I 
was  walking  on  water  till  I  saw  them  in  the  maps. 

[The  dispatch  breaks  off  at  this  point.  .The  year  concludes 
with  health  impaired.  As  time  goes  on,  we  shall  see  how  omi- 
nous the  conviction  was  which  made  him  dread  the  swamps  of 
Bangweolo.] 

December  28</i-31s<,  1867. — We  came  on  to  the  rivulet  Chirongo, 
and  then  to  the  Kabukwa,  where  I  was  taken  ill.  Heavy  raina 
kept  the  convoy  back.  I  have  had  nothing  but  coarsely-grounc 
sorghum  meal  for  some  time  back,  and  am  weak;  I  used  to  b« 
the  first  in  the  line  of  march,  and  am  now  the  last;  Mohamad 
presented  a  meal  of  finely-ground  porridge  and  a  fowl,  and  I  im^ 
mediately  felt  the  difierence,  though  I  was  not  grumbling  at  mj 
coarse  dishes.  It  is  well  that  I  did  not  go  to  Bangweolo  Lake, 
for  it  is  now  very  unhealthy  to  the  natives;  and  I  fear  tbat^ 
without  medicine,  continual  wettings  by  fording  rivulets  might 
have  knocked  me  up  altogether.  As  I  have  mentioned,  the  peoi 
pie  suffer  greatly  from  swelled  thyroid  gland,  or  Derbyshire  neck, 
and  Elephantiasis  scroti. 

'  January  \st,  1868. — Almighty  Father,  forgive  the  sins  of  the 
past  year  for  thy  Son's  sake.  Help  me  to  be  more  profitable 
during  this  year.    If  I  am  to  die  this  year,  prepare  me  for  it. 

*  *  *  if  *  *  * 

I  bought  five  hoes  at  two  or  three  yards  of  calico  each:  they 
are  thirteen  and  a  half  by  six  and  a  half  inches:  many  arc  made 
in  Cascmbe's  country,  and  this  is  the  last  place  we  can  find  them. 
When  we  come  into  Buird  we  can  purchase  a  good  goat  for  one. 
One  of  my  goats  died,  and  the  other  dried  up.  I  long  for  others^ 
for  milk  is  the  most  strengthening  food  I  can  get. 

My  guide  to  Moero  came  to-day,  and  I  visited  the  Lake  severa 
times,  so  as  to  get  a  good  idea  of  its  size.  The  first  fifteen  niilea 
in  the  north  are  from  twelve  or  more  to  tliirty-three  miles  broad. 
The  great  mass  of  the  Kua  ^fountains  confines  it.    Thus  in  a 


I 


LAKE  MOEEO.—EAEEMBWfrS  VILLAGE. 


217 


clear  day  a  lower  range  is  seen  continued  from  the  higli  point 
of  the  first  mass  away  to  the  west-south-west;  this  ends,  and  sea 
horizon  is  alone  visible  away  to  the  south  and  west:  from  the 
height  we  viewed  it  at,  the  width  must  be  over  forty,  perhaps 
sixty  miles.  A  large  island,  called  Kirwa,*  is  situated  between 
the  Mandapala  and  Kabukwa  rivers,  but  nearest  to  the  other 
shore.  The  natives  never  attempt  to  cross  any  part  of  the  Lake 
south  of  this  Kirwa.  Land  could  not  be  seen  with  a  good  glass 
on  the  clearest  day  we  had.  I  can  understand  why  the  natives 
pronounced  Moero  to  be  larger  than  Tanganyika:  in  the  last 
named  they  see  the  land  always  on  both  sides;  it  is  like  a  vast 
trough  flanked  with  highlands;  but  at  Moero  nothing  but  sea 
horizon  can  be  seen  when  one  looks  south-west  of  the  Rua 
Mountains. 

At  the  Kalongosi  meadow  one  of  Mohamad's  men  shot  a  buf- 
falo, and  he  gave  me  a  leg  of  the  good  beefy  flesh.  Our  course 
was  slow,  caused  partly  by  rains,  and  partly  by  waiting  for  the 
convoy.  The  people  at  Kalongosi  were  afraid  to  ferry  us  or  any 
of  his  people  in  the  convoy  out  of  Casembe's  country ;  but  at 
last  we  gave  a  good  fee,  and  their  scruples  yielded:  they  were 
influenced  also  by  seeing  other  villagers  ready  to  undertake  the 
job.  The  latter  nearly  fought  over  us  on  seeing  that  their  neigh- 
bors got  all  the  fare. 

We  then  came  along  the  Lake,  and  close  to  its  shores.  The 
moisture  caused  a  profusion  of  gingers,  ferns,  and  tropical  forest. 
Buffaloes,  zebras,  and  elephants  are  numerous,  and  the  villagers  at 
Cliukosi's,  where  we  slept,  warned  us  against  lions  and  leopards. 

Jcmuary  \2th. — Sunda.y  at  Karembwc's  village.  The  mount- 
ains east  of  him  are  called  Makunga.  We  went  yesterday  to  the 
shore,  and  by  protraction  Rua  Point  was  distant  thirty -three 
miles.  Karembwd  sent  for  us,  to  have  an  audience :  he  is  a 
large  man,  with  a  gruff'  voice,  but  liked  by  his  people  and  by 
strangers.  I  gave  him  a  cloth,  and  he  gave  me  a  goat.  The  en- 
thusiasm with  which  I  held  on  to  visit  Moero  had  communicated 
itself  to  Tipo  Tipo  and  Sydc  bin  Alle,  for  they  followed  me  up 
to  this  place  to  see  the  Lake,  and  remained  five  days  while  we 
were  at  Casembe's.  Other  Arabs,  or  rather  Suahelis,  must  have 
seen  it,  but  never  mentioned  it  as  any  thing  worth  looking  at; 
and  it  was  only  when  all  hope  of  ivory  was  gone  that  these  two 
head  men  found  time  to  come.    There  is  a  large  population  here. 


*  Kirwii  nntl  its  various  corruptions,  such  as  Shinva,  Cliirua,  niul  Kiroa,  i)cr|)cnial- 
ly  recur  in  Africa,  aud  would  almost  seem  to  stand  for  "the  islaiul."— Ki>. 


218 


LinXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUIiXALS. 


January  ISth. — Heavy  rains.  Karembe  mentioned  a  natbral 
curiosity  as  likely  to  interest  me:  a  little  rivulet,  Cbipamba,  goes 
some  distance  under-ground,  but  is  uninteresting. 

Next  day  we  crossed  the  Vuna,  a  strong  torrent,  wbich  bas  a 
hot  fountain  close  by  the  ford,  in  which  maize  and  cassava  may 
be  boiled.  A  large  one  in  Nsama's  country  is  used  in  the  same 
way,  maize  and  cassava  being  tied  to  a  string  and  thrown  in  to 
be  cooked:  some  natives  believe  that  earthquakes  are  connected 
with  its  violent  ebullitions.  We  crossed  the  Katette,  another 
strong  torrent,  before  reaching  tlie  north  end  of  Moero,  where  we 
slept  in  some  travelers'  huts. 

Leaving  the  Lake  and  going  north,  we  soon  got  on  to  a  plain 
flooded  by  the  Luao.  We  had  to  wade  through  very  adhesive 
black  mud,  generally  ankle-deep,  and  having  many  holes  in  it 
much  deeper:  we  had  four  hours  of  this,  and  then  came  to  the 
ford  of  the  Luao  itself  We  waded  up  a  branch  of  it  waist-deep 
for  at  least  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  then  crossed  a  narrow  part  by 
means  of  a  rude  bridge  of  branches  and  trees  of  about  forty  yards 
width.  The  Luao,  in  spreading  over  the  plains,  confers  benefits 
on  the  inhabitants,  though  I  could  not  help  concluding  it  imparts 
disease  too,  for  the  black  mud  in  places  smells  horribly.  Great 
numbers  of  Siluridse,  chiefly  Clarias  capensis,  often  three  feet  in 
length,  spread  over  the  flooded  portions  of  the  countrj^,  eating  the 
young  of  other  fishes,  and  insects,  lizards,  and  worms,  killed  by 
the  waters.  The  people  make  weirs  for  them,  and,  as  the  waters 
retire,  kill  large  numbers,  which  they  use  as  a  relish  to  their  fari- 
naceous food. 

January  16th. — After  sleeping  near  the  Luao,  we  went  on  to- 
ward the  village,  in  which  Mohamad's  son  lives.  It  is  on  the 
Kakoma  River,  and  is  called  Kabwabwata,  the  village  of  Mubao. 
In  many  of  the  villages  the  people  shut  their  stockades  as  soon 
as  we  appear,  and  stand,  bows  and  arrows  in  hand,  till  we  have 
passed :  the  reason  seems  to  be  that  the  slaves,  when  out  of  sight 
of  their  masters,  carry  things  with  a  high  hand,  demanding  food 
and  other  things  as  if  they  had  power  and  authority.  One  slave 
stole  two  tobacco-pipes  yesterday,  in  passing  through  a  village: 
the  villagers  complained  to  me  when  I  came  up,  and  I  waited  till 
Mohamad  came,  and  told  him ;  we  then  went  forward,  the  men 
keeping  close  to  me  till  we  got  the  slave  and  the  pipes.  They 
stole  cassava  as  we  went  along,  but  this  could  scarcely  be  pre- 
vented. They  laid  hold  of  a  plant  an  inch  and  a  half  thick,  and 
tore  it  out  of  the  soft  soil,  with  its  five  or  six  roots  as  large  as  our 
largest  carrots,  stowed  the  roots  away  in  their  loads,  and  went  on 


ATTENTION  TO  AGRICULTURE. 


219 


eating  them;  but  the  stalk  thrown  among  those  still  growing 
shows  the  theft.  The  raw  roots  are  agreeable  and  nutritious. 
No  great  harm  is  done  by  this,  for  the  gardens  are  so  large;  but 
it  inspires  distrust  in  the  inhabitants,  and  makes  it  dangerous  for 

'   Arabs  to  travel  not  fully  manned  and  armed. 

On  reaching  the  village  Kabwabwata,  a  great  demonstration 
was  made  by  Mohamad's  Arab  dependents  and  Wanyamwesi: 
the  women  had  their  faces  all  smeared  with  pipe-clay,  and  lulli- 
looed  with  all  their  might.  When  we  came  among  the  huts, 
they  cast  handfuls  of  soil  on  their  heads,  while  the  men  fired  off 
their  guns  as  fast  as  they  could  load  them.  Those  connected 
with  Mohamad  ran  and  kissed  his  hands,  and  fired,  till  the  sound 
of  shouting,  luUilooing,  clapping  of  hands,  and  shooting  was  deaf- 

,  ening:  Mohamad  was  quite  overcome  by  this  demonstration,  and 
it  was  long  before  he  could  still  them. 

On  the  way  to  this  village  from  the  south,  we  observed  an  ex- 
tensive breadth  of  land  under  ground-nuts,  which  are  made  into 
oil:  a  large  jar  of  this  is  sold  for  a  hoe.  The  ground-nuts  w^ere 
now  in  flower,  and  green  maize  ready  to  be  eaten.  People  all 
busy  planting,  transplanting,  or  weeding:  they  plant  cassava  on 
mounds  prepared  for  it,  on  which  they  have  sown  beans,  sorghum, 
maize,  pumpkins:  these  ripen,  and  leave  the  cassava  a  free  soil. 
The  sorghum,  or  dura,  is  sown  thickly ;  and  when  about  a  foot 

'  high — if  the  owner  has  been  able  to  prepare  the  soil  elsewhere — 

I  it  is  transplanted,  a  portion  of  the  leaves  being  cut  off  to  prevent 
j  too  great  evaporation  and  the  death  of  the  plant. 

Januartj  17th.  —  The  Wanyamwesi  and  people  of  Garaganza 
say  that  we  have  thirteen  days'  march  from  this  to  the  Tanganyika 
;•   Lake.    It  is  often  muddy,  and  many  rivulets  are  to  be  crossed, 

Mohamad  is  naturally  anxious  to  stay  a  little  while  with  his 
I'  son,  for  it  is  a  wet  season,  and  the  mud  is  disagreeable  to  travel 
!  over :  it  is  said  to  be  worse  near  Ujiji.  He  cooks  small  delicacies 
for  me  with  the  little  he  has,  and  tries  to  make  me  comfortable. 
\'inegar  is  made  from  bananas,  and  oil  from  ground-nuts.    I  am 
anxious  to  be  off,  but  chiefly  to  get  news. 

I  find  that  many  Unyamwesi  people  are  waiting  here,  on  account 
of  the  great  quantity  of  rain-water  in  front.    It  would  be  difficult, 
they  say,  to  get  canoes  on  Tanganyika,  as  the  waves  are  now  large. 
Janiianj  24:th. — Two  of  Mohamad  Bogliarib's  people  came  from 

I I  Casembe's  to  trade  here,  and  a  body  of  Syde  bin  Habib's  people 
also  from  Garaganza,  near  Kaze :  they  report  the  flooded  lands 
on  this  side  of  Lake  Tanganyika  as  waist  and  chest  deep.  Bin 
Ilabib,  being  at  Katanga,  will  not  stir  till  the  rains  are  over,  and 


220 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


I  fear  we  are  storm-stayed  till  then  too.  The  feeders  of  the  Ma- 
rungu  are  not  fordable  just  now,  and  no  canoes  are  to  be  had. 

January  2Qth,  27th. — I  am  ill  with  fever,  as  I  always  am  when 
stationary. 

January  28<A.— Better,  and  thankful  to  Him  of  the  Greatest 
Name.  We  must  remain:  it  is  a  dry  spot,  and  favorable  for 
ground-nuts.    Hooping-cough  here. 

January  SOih. — The  earth,  cooled  by  the  rain  last  night,  sets  all 
to  transplanting  dura,  or  sorghum ;  they  cut  the  leaves  till  onl}^ 
about  eighteen  inches  of  them  are  left,  but  it  grows  all  the  better 
for  the  chiiuge  of  place. 

Mohamad  believes  that  Tanganyika  flows  through  Eusizi  to 
Lohinde  (Chuambo). 

Seyd  Seyd  is  said  to  have  been  the  fii'st  Arab  sultan  who 
traded,  and  Seyed  Majid  follows  the  example  of  his  father,  and 
has  many  Arab  traders  in  his  employment.  He  lately  sent  eight 
buffaloes  to  Mteza,  king  of  Uganda,  son  of  Sunna,  by  way  of  in- 
creasing his  trade,  but  it  is  not  likely  that  he  will  give  up  the  lu- 
crative trade  in  ivory  and  slaves. 

Susi  bought  a  hoe  with  a  little  gunpowder,  then  a  cylinder  of 
dura,  three  feet  long  by  two  feet  in  diameter,  for  the  hoe:  it  is  at 
least  one  hundred-weight. 

Stone  under-ground  houses  are  reported  in  Eua;  but  whether 
natural  or  artificial  Mohamad  could  not  say.  If  a  present  is 
made  to  the  Eua  chiefs,  they  never  obstruct  passengers. 

Chikosi,  at  whose  village  we  passed  a  night,  near  Kalongosi, 
and  Chiputa,  are  both  dead. 

The  Mofwc  fills  during  the  greater  rains,  and  spreads  over  a 
large  district ;  elephants  then  wander  in  its  marshes,  and  are  kill- 
ed easily  by  people  in  canoes :  this  happens  every  year,  and  Mo- 
hamad Bogharib  waits  now  for  this  ivory. 

February  7th-21st,  1868. — On  inquiring  of  men  who  have  seen 
the  under-ground  houses  in  Eua,  I  find  that  they  are  very  exten- 
sive, ranging  along  mountain  sides  for  twenty  miles,  and  in  one 
part  a  rivulet  flows  inside.  In  some  cases  the  door-ways  are 
level  with  the  country  adjacent ;  in  others,  ladders  are  used  to 
climb  up  to  them :  inside  they  are  said  to  be  very  large,  and  not 
the  work  of  men,  but  of  God.  The  people  have  plenty  of  fowls, 
and  they  too  obtain  shelter  in  these  Troglodyte  habitations. 

February  2Sd. — I  was  visited  by  an  important  chief  called  Cha- 
pd,  who  said  that  he  wanted  to  make  friends  with  the  English.  He, 
Chisapi,  Sama,  Munbo,  Karembwe,  are  of  one  tribe  or  family,  the 
Oanza.   He  did  not  beg  any  thing,  and  promised  to  send  me  a  goat. 


AX  AFRICAN  ROW. 


221 


CHAPTEE  XI. 

Kiot  in  the  Camp. — Mohamad's  Account  of  his  long  Imprisonment. — Superstitions 
about  Children's  Teeth. — Concerning  Dreams. — News  of  Lake  Chowanibe'. — Life 
of  the  Arab  Slavers. — The  Katanga  Gold  Supply. — IMnabo. — Ascent  of  the  Rua 
Mountains. — Sydebin  Habib.— Birthday,  I\Lirch  l!)th,  1868. — Hostility  of  Mpwe'to. 
— Contemplates  visiting  Lake  Bemba. — Nile  Sources. — Men  desert. — The  Shores 
of  Moero. — Visits  Fungafunga. — Return  to  Casembe's. — Obstructiveness  of  "  Crop- 
ped-ears." — Accounts  of  I'ercira  and  Dr.  Lacerda. — IMajor  Monteiro. — The  Line 
of  Casembe's. — Casembe  explains  the  Connection  of  the  Lakes  and  the  Luapula. — 
Queen  Moiiri. — Arab  Sacrifice. — Kapika  gets  rid  of  his  Wife. 

i^cir?<«r?/ 24//i,  1868.— Some  slaves  who  came  -with  Mohamad 
Bogharib's  agent  abused  my  men  this  morning,  as  bringing  un- 
clean meat  into  the  village  to  sell,  though  it  had  been  killed  by 
a  man  of  the  Wanyamwesi.  They  called  out,  "Kaffir,  Kaffir!" 
and  Susi,  roused  by  this,  launched  forth  with  a  stick  ;  the  others 
joined  in  the  row,  and  the  offenders  were  beat  off ;  but  they  went 
and  collected  all  their  number,  and  renewed  the  assault.  One 
threw  a  heavy  block  of  wood  and  struck  Simon  on  the  head, 
making  him  quite  insensible  and  convulsed  for  some  time.  lie 
has  three  wounds  on  the  head,  which  may  prove  serious.  This 
is  the  first  outburst  of  Mohammedan  bigotry  we  have  met;  and 
by  tho.sc  who  know  so  little  of  the  creed  that  it  is  questionable  if 
one  of  them  can  repeat  the  formula,  "La  illahu  ilia  lahu  Moham- 
med Kasulela  salla  lahu,  a  leihi  oa  Salama."  Simon  recovered, 
but  Gallahs  are  in  general  not  strong. 

Fshruarij  2o(h. — Mohamad  called  on  me  this  morning  to  apolo- 
gize for  the  outrage  of  yesterday,  but  no  one  was  to  blame  ex- 
cept the  slaves,  and  I  wanted  no  punishment  inflicted  if  they 
were  cautioned  for  the  future.  It  seems  plain  that  if  they  do  not 
wish  to  buy  the  unclean  meat  they  can  let  it  alone— no  harm  is 
done.  The  Wanyamwesi  kill  for  all ;  and  some  Mohammedans 
say  that  they  will  not  cat  of  it,  but  their  wives  and  people  do  eat 
it  ])rivately. 

I  asked  Mohamad  to-day  if  it  were  true  that  he  was  a  prisoner 
at  Ca.sembe's.  lie  replied,  "Quite  so."  Some  Garaganza  peo- 
ple, now  at  Katanga,  fought  with  Casembe,  and  ^foliamad  was  sus- 
pected of  being  connected  with  them.  Casembe  attacked  his 
people,  and  during  the  turmoil  a  hundred  fra.silahs  of  copper 
were  stolen  from  him,  and  many  of  his  people  killed.  Casembe 


■222 


LIVIXGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


kept  him  a  prisoner  till  sixty  of  his  people  were  either  killed  or 
died,  among  these  Mohamad's  eldest  son:  he  was  thus  reduced 
to  poverty.  He  gave  something  to  Caseinbe  to  allow  him  to  de- 
part, and  I  suspect  that  my  Sultan's  letter  had  considerable  in- 
fluence in  inducing  Casembe  to  accede  to  his  request;  for  he  re- 
peated again  and  again  in  my  hearing  that  he  must  pay  respect 
to  my  letter,  and  see  me  safe  at  least  as  far  as  Ujiji,  Mohamad 
says  that  he  will  not  return  to  Casembe  again,  but  will  begin  to 
trade  with  some  other  chief :  it  is  rather  hard  for  a  man  at  his 
age  to  begin  de  novo.  He  is  respected  among  the  Arabs,  who 
pronounce  him  to  be  a  good  man.  He  says  that  he  has  been 
twenty -two  years  in  Africa,  and  never  saw  an  outburst  like 
that  of  yesterday  among  the  Wanyamwesi :  it  is,  however, 
common  for  the  people  at  Ujiji  to  drink  polm  toddy,  and  then 
have  a  general  row  in  the  bazar,  but  no  bad  feeling  exists  next 
day. 

If  a  child  cuts  the  upper  front  teeth  before  the  lower,  it  is 
killed,  as  unlucky :  this  is  a  widely-spread  superstition.  When 
I  was  among  the  Makololo,  in  1859,  one  of  Sekeletu's  wives 
would  not  allow  her  servant's  child  to  be  killed  for  this;  but  few 
would  have  the  courage  to  act  in  opposition  to  public  feeling  as 
she  did.  In  Casembe's  country,  if  a  child  is  seen  to  turn  from 
one  side  to  the  other  in  sleep  it  is  killed.  They  say  of  any  child 
who  has  what  they  consider  these  defects,  "He  is  an  Arab  child," 
because  the  Arabs  have  none  of  this  class  of  superstitions  ;  and, 
should  any  Arab  be  near,  they  give  the  child  to  him  :  it  would 
bring  ill  luck,  misfortunes,  "milando,"  or  guilt,  to  the  flimily. 
These  superstitions  may  account  for  the  readiness  with  which 
one  tribe  parted  with  their  children  to  Speke's  followers.  Mo- 
hamad says  that  these  children  must  have  been  taken  in  war,  as 
none  sell  their  own  offspring. 

If  Casembe  dreams  of  any  man  twice  or  three  times,  he  puts 
the  man  to  death,  as  one  who  is  practicing  secret  arts  against  his 
life:  if  any  one  is  pounding  or  cooking  food  for  him,  he  must 
preserve  the  strictest  silence :  these  and  other  things  show  ex- 
treme superstition  and  degradation. 

During  his  enforced  detention,  Mohamad's  friends  advised  him 
to  leave  Casembe  by  force,  offering  to  aid  liim  with  their  men, 
but  he  always  refused.  His  father  was  the  first  to  open  this 
country  to  trade  with  the  Arabs,  and  all  his  expenses  .while  so 
doing  were  borne  by  himself;  but  ^loliamad  seems  to  be  a  man 
of  peace,  and  unwilling  to  break  the  appearance  of  fricndsliip  with 
the  chiefs.    He  thinks  that  this  Caseinbe  poisoned  bis  predeces- 


XEWS  OF  LAKE  CH0WAMB£. 


223 


\  sor:  he  certainly  killed  his  wife's  mother,  a  queen,  that  she 
i     might  be  no  obstacle  to  him  in  securing  her  daughter. 

We  are  waiting,  in  company  with  a  number  of  Wanyamwesi, 
for  the  cessation  of  the  rains,  which  have  flooded  the  country  be- 
tween this  and  Tanganyika.  If  there  were  much  slope,  this 
water  would  flow  off :  this  makes  me  suspect  that  Tanganyika  is 
not  so  low  as  Speke's  measurement.  The  Arabs  are  positive 
that  water  flows  from  that  lake  to  the  Victoria  Xyanza,  and  as- 
sert tbat  Dagara,  the  father  of  Eumanyika,  was  anxious  to  send 
canoes  from  his  place  to  Ujiji,  or,  as  some  say,  to  dig  a  canal  to 
Ujiji.  The  Wanyamwesi  here  support  themselves  by  shooting 
bufialoes  at  a  place  two  days  distant,  and  selling  the  meat  for 
grain  and  cassava.  No  sooner  is  it  known  that  an  animal  is  kill- 
ed than  the  village  women  crowd  in  here,  carrying  their  produce 
to  exchange  it  for  meat,  which  they  prefer  to  beads  or  any  thing 
else.  Their  farinaceous  food  creates  a  great  craving  for  flesh : 
were  my  shoes  not  done,  I  would  go  in  for  buffaloes  too. 

A  man  from  the  upper  part  of  Tanganyika  gives  the  same  ac- 
count of  the  river  from  Rusisi  that  Burton  and  Speke  received 
when  they  went  to  its  mouth.  He  says  that  the  water  of  the 
lake  goes  up  some  distance,  but  is  met  by  Eusisi  water,  and  driv- 
en back  thereby.  The  lake  water,  he  adds,  finds  an  exit  north- 
ward and  eastward  by  several  small  rivers  which  would  admit 
small  canoes  only.  They  pour  into  lake  Chowamb^ — probably 
that  discovered  by  Mr.  Baker.  This  Chowambe  is  in  Hundi, 
the  country  of  cannibals,  but  the  most  enlightened  informants 
leave  the  impression  on  the  mind  of  groping  in  the  dark :  it  may 
be  all  different  when  we  come  to  see  it. 

The  fruit  of  the  palm,  which  yields  palm-oil,  is  first  of  all  boil- 
ed, then  pounded  in  a  mortar,  then  put  into  hot  or  boiling  water, 
and  the  oil  skimmed  off.  The  palm-oil  is  said  to  be  very  abun- 
'lant  at  Ujiji,  as  much  as  three  hundred  gallons  being  often' 
brought  into  the  bazar  for  sale  in  one  morning:  the  people  buy 
it  eagerly  for  cooking  purposes.  Mohamad  says  that  the  island 
of  Pcmba,  near  Zanzibar,  contains  many  of  these  palms,  but  the 
people  are  ignorant  of  the  mode  of  separating  the  oil  from  the 
nut:  they  call  tlie  palm  nkoma  at  Casembe's,  and  chikichi  at' 
Zanzibar.* 

No  better  authority  for  what  has  been  done  or  left  undone  by 
Mohammedans  in  this  country  can  be  found  than  ^Mohamad  bin 


•  Cliikichi-inits  linvc  hecn  an  ni  ticle  of  trade  and  export  for  some  time  from  Znnzi- 
-'.ir.    The  oil-palm  grows  wilil  in  I'eniba. 


224 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Saleh ;  for  he  is  very  intelligent,  and  takes  an  interest  in  all  that 
happens,  and  his  father  was  equally  interested  in  this  country's 
affairs.  He  declares  that  no  attempt  was  ever  made  by  Moham- 
medans to  proselytize  the  Africans:  they  teach  their  own  chil- 
dren to  read  the  Koran,  but  them  only ;  it  is  never  translated, 
and  to  servants  who  go  to  the  mosque  it  is  all  dumb -show. 
Some  servants  imbibe  Mohammedan  bigotry  about  eating,  but 
they  offer  no  prayers.  Circumcision,  to  make  haJel,  or  fit  to 
slaughter  the  animals  for  their  master,  is  the  utmost  advance  any 
have  made.  As  the  Arabs  in  East  Africa  never  feel  themselves 
called  on  to  propagate  the  doctrines  of  Islam  among  the  heathen 
Africans,  the  statement  of  Captain  Burton  that  they  would  make 
better  missionaries  to  the  Africans  than  Christians,  because  they 
would  not  insist  on  the  abandonment  of  polygamy,  possesses  the 
same  force  as  if  he  had  said  Mohammedans  would  catch  more 
birds  than  Christians,  because  they  would  put  salt  on  their  tails. 
The  indispensable  requisite  or  qualification  for  any  kind  of  mis- 
sionary is  that  he  have  some  wish  to  proselytize :  this  the  Arabs 
do  not  possess  in  the  slightest  degree. 

As  they  "never  translate  the  Koran,  they  neglect  the  best  means 
of  influencing  the  Africans,  who  invariably  wish  to  understand 
what  they  are  about.  When  we  were  teaching  adults  the  alpha- 
bet, they  felt  it  a  hard  task.  "Give  me  medicine;  I  shall  drink 
it  to  make  me  understand  it,"  was  their  earnest  entreaty.  When 
they  have  advanced  so  far  as  to  form  clear  conceptions  of  Old 
Testament  and  Gospel  histories,  they  tell  them  to  their  neigh- 
bors ;  and,  on  visiting  distant  tribes,  feel  proud  to  show  how 
much  they  know;  in  this  way  the  knowledge  of  Christianity  be- 
comes widely  diffused.  Those  whose  hatred  to  its  self-denying 
doctrines  has  become  developed  by  knowledge,  propagate  slan- 
ders; but  still  they  speak  of  Christianity,  and  awaken  attention. 
The  plan,  therefore,  of  the  Christian  missionary  in  imparting 
knowledge  is  immeasurably  superior  to  that  of  the  Moslem  in 
dealing  with  dumb-show.  I  have,  however,  been  astonished  to 
see  that  none  of  the  Africans  imitate  the  Arab  prayers:  consider- 
ing their  great  reverence  of  the  Dcit}^,  it  is  a  wonder  that  they  do 
not  learn  to  address  prayers  to  Uim  except  on  very  extraordinary 
occasions. 

My  remarks  referring  to  the  education  by  Mohammedans  do 
not  refer  to  the  Suahelis,  for  they  teach  their  children  to  read, 
and  even  send  them  to  school.  They  are  the  descendants  of 
Arab  and  African  women,  and  inhabit  the  coast-line.  Although 
they  read,  they  'understand  very  little  Arabic  beyond  the  few 


EXTREMES  MEET  IN  SUPEBSTITION. 


225 


j  words  which  have  been  incorporated  into  Suaheli.    The  estab- 
'  lishment  of  Moslem  missions  among  the  heathen  is  utterly  un- 
I  known,  and  this  is  remarkable,  because  the  Wanyamwesi,  for  in- 
j  stance,  are  very  friendly  with  the  Arabs — are  great  traders,  too, 
like  them,  and  are  constantly  employed  as  porters  and  native 
I  traders,  being  considered  very  trustworthy :  they  even  acknowl- 
edge Seyed  Majid's  authority.    The  Arabs  speak  of  all  the  Af- 
ricans as  "G^?«/z?<,"  that  is,  hard  or  callous  to  the  Mohammedan 
religion. 

Some  believe  that  Kilimanjaro  Mountain  has  mummies,  as  in 
Egypt,  and  that  Moses  visited.it  of  old. 
Mungo  Park  mentions  that  he  found  the  Africans  in  the  far  in- 
f  terior  of  the  west  in  possession  of  the  stories  of  Joseph  and  his 
j  brethren,  and  others.    They  probably  got  them  from  the  Koran, 
as  verbally  explained  by  some  liberal  Mullah,  and  showed  how 
!  naturally  they  spread  any  new  ideas  they  obtained :  they  were 
astonished  to  find  that  Park  knew  the  stories. 

The  people  at  Katanga  are  afraid  to  dig  for  the  gold  in  their 
country,  because  they  believe  that  it  has  been  hidden  where  it  is 
I  by  "Ngolu,"  wh(j  is  the  owner  of  it.  The  Arabs  translate  Ngolu 
[  by  Satan :  it  means  Mezimo,  or  departed  spirits,  too.  The  people 
I  are  all  oppressed  by  their  superstitions;  the  fear  of  death  is  re- 
i  markably  strong.  The  wagtails  are  never  molested,  because  if 
I  they  were  killed  death  would  visit  the  village;  this  too  is  the 
[  case  with  the  small  whydah  birds;  the  fear  of  death  in  the  minds 
!  of  the  people  saves  them  from  molestation.  But  why  should  we 
'  be  so  prone  to  criticise?  A  remnant  of  our  own  superstitions  is 
j  seen  in  the  prejudice  against  sitting  down  thirteen  to  dinner,  spill- 
I  ing  the  salt  and  not  throwing  a  little  of  it  over  the  left  shoulder. 
I  Ferdinand  I.,  the  king  of  Naples,  in  passing  through  the  streets, 
(  perpetually  put  one  hand  into  his  pockets  to  cross  the  thumb 
I  over  the  finger  in  order  to  avert  the  influence  of  the  evil  eye! 
I  On  the  6th,  Muabo,  the  great  chief  of  these  parts,  came  to  call 
t  on  Moliamad :  several  men  got  up  and  made  some  antics  before 
i  him,  then  knelt  down  and  did  obeisance,  then  Muabo  himself 
'  jumped  about  a  little,  and  all  applauded.  lie  is  a  good-natured 
'  looking  man,  fond  of  a  joke,  and  always  ready  with  a  good-hu- 
mored smile:  he  was  praised  very  highly — Mpwdto  was  nothing  to 
I  Muabo  mokolu,  the  great  Muabo ;  and  he  returned  the  praise  by 
lauding  Tipo  Tipo  and  Mpamari,  Mohamad's  native  name,  which 
means,  "Give  me  wealth,  or  goods."  Mohamad  made  a  few  of 
I  the  ungainly  antics  like  the  natives,  and  all  were  highly  pleased, 
■  and  went  off  rejoicing. 


226 


LinXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUBNALS. 


Some  Arabs  believe  that  a  serpent  on  one  of  the  islands  in  the 
Nyanza  Lake  has  the  power  of  speaking,  and  is  the  same  that 
beguiled  Eve.  It  is  a  crim.e  at  Ujiji  to  kill  a  serpent,  even  though 
it  enters  a  house  and  kills  a  kid!  The  native  name  for  the 
people  of  Ujiji  is  "Wayeiye,  the  very  same  as  the  people  on  the 
Zouga,  near  Lake  Ngami.  They  are  probably  an  offshoot  from 
Ujiji* 

There  are  under-ground  stone  houses  in  Kabiure,  in  the  range 
called  Kakoma,  which  is  near  to  our  place  of  detention. 

March  15th. — The  roots  of  the  nyumbo,  or  noombo,  open  in 
four  or  five  months  from  the  time  of  planting ;  those  planted  by 
me  on  the  6th  of  February  have  now  stalks  fifteen  inches  long. 
The  root  is  reported  to  be  a  very  wholesome  food,  never  disagree- 
ing wnth.  the  stomach ;  and  the  raw  root  is  an  excellent  remedy 
in  obstinate  vomiting  and  nausea;  four  or  five  tubers  are  often 
given  by  one  root.  In  Marungu  they  attain  a  size  of  six  inches 
in  length  by  two  in  diameter. 

March  16th. — We  started  for  Mpweto's  village,  which  is  situated 
on  the  Lualaba,  and  in  our  course  crossed  the  Lokinda,  which 
had  a  hundred  yards  of  flood-water  on  each  side  of  it.  The  river 
itself  is  forty  yards  wide,  with  a  rude  bridge  over  it,  as  it  flows 
fast  away  into  Moero. 

Next  day  we  ascended  the  Rua  Mountains,  and  reached  the 
village  of  Mpweto,  situated  in  a  valley  between  two  ridges,  about 
one  mile  from  the  right  bank  of  the  Lualaba,  where  it  comes 
through  the  tjiountains:  it  then  flows  about  two  miles  along  the 
base  of  a  mountain  lying  east  and  west  before  it  begins  to  make 
northing:  its  course  is  reported  to  be  very  winding.  This  seems, 
additional  evidence  that  Tanganyika  is  not  in  a  depression  of 
only  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty-four  feet  above  the 
sea,  otherwise  the  water  of  Lualaba  would  flow  foster  and  make 
a  straighter  channel.  It  is  said  to  flow  into  the  Lufira,  and  that 
into  Tanganyika. 

March  ISth. — On  reaching  Mpwdto's  yesterday,  we  were  taken 
up  to  the  house  of  Syde  bin  Habib,  which  is  built  on  a  ridge 
overhanging  the  chief's  village — a  square  building  of  wattle  and 
plaster,  and  a  mud  roof  to  prevent  it  being  fired  by  an  enemy. 
It  is  a  very  pretty  spot  among  the  mountains.  Sariama  is  Bin 
Ilabib's  agent,  and  he  gave  us  a  basket  of  flour  and  leg  of  kid. 
I  sent  a  message  to  Mpweto,  which  he  politely  answered  by  say- 


♦  A  cliief  named  Moend  Ungu,  who  admires  tlie  Arabs,  sent  his  children  to  Zan- 
zibar tc  be  instructed  to  read  and  write. 


MPW£TO  REFUSES  THE  DOCTOR'S  GIFTS. 


227 


ing  that  be  had  no  food  ready  in  bis  village,  but  if  we  waited  two 
.lays  he  would  have  some  prepared,  and  would  then  see  us.  He 
knew  what  we  should  give  him,  and  he  need  not  tell  us.  I  met 
a  man  from  Seskekc,  left  sick  at  Kirwa  by  Bin  Habib,  and  now 
with  him  here. 

A  very  beautiful  young  woman  came  to  look  at  us,  perfect  in 
every  way,  and  nearly  naked,  but  unconscious  of  indecency — a 
very  Venus  in  black.  The  light-gray,  red-tailed  parrot  seen  on 
the  West  Coast  is  common  in  Rua,  and  tamed  by  the  natives." 

March  Idth.j; — Grant,  Lord,  grace  to  love  Thee  more,  and  serve 
Thee  better. 

The  fixvorite  son  of  Mpweto  called  on  us.  His  father  is  said  to 
do  nothing  without  consulting  him ;  but  he  did  not  seem  to  be 
endowed  with  much  wisdom. 

Ifarch  20th,  21st. — Our  interview  was  put  off ;  and  then  a  sight 
of  the  cloth  we  were  to  give  was  required.  I  sent  a  good  large 
cloth,  and  explained  that  we  were  nearly  out  of  goods  now,  hav- 
ing been  traveling  two  years,  and  were  going  to  Ujiji  to  get 
more.  Mpweto  had  prepared  a  quantit}^  of  pombe,  a  basket  of 
meal,  and  a  goat;  and  when  he  looked  at  thetn  and  the  cloth,  he 
)  seemed  to  feel  that  it  would  be  a  poor  bargain  ;  so  he  sent  to  say 
'  that  we  had  gone  to  Casembe  and  given  him  many  cloths,  and 
then  to  Muabo,  and  if  I  did  not  give  another  cloth  he  would  not 
see  me.  " He  had  never  slept  with  only  one  cloth."  "I  had  put 
medicine  on  this  one  to  kill  him,  and  must  go  away." 

It  seems  he  was  olTcndcd  because  we  went  to  his  great  rival, 
Muabo,  before  visiting  him.  He  would  not  see  Sydc  bin  Habib 
for  eight  days;  and  during  that  time  was  using  charms  to  try  if 
it  would  be  .safe  to  .see  him  at  all.  On  the  ninth  day  he  peeped 
past  a  door  for  some  time  to  see  if  Bin  Habib  were,  a  proper  per- 
son, and  then  came  out:  he  is  always  very  suspicious. 

At  last  he  .sent  an  order  to  us  to  go  away,  and  if  we  did  not 
move,  he  would  come  with  all  his  people  and  drive  us  off.  Sa- 
riamo  said  if  he  were  not  afraid  for  Syde  bin  Habib's  goods,  he 
would  make  a  stand  against  Mpweto;  but  I  had  no  wish  to  sta}^ 
or  to  quarrel  with  a  worthless  chief,  and  resolved  to  go  next  da}' 
I  (March  24th).  He  abused  a  native  trader  with  his  tongue  for 
coming  to  trade,  and  sent  him  away  too.  We  slept  again  at  our 
half-way  village,  Kapcmba,  just  as  a  party  of  salt-traders  from 
liuacamc  into  it:  they  were  tall,  well-made  men,  and  rather  dark. 


*  This  liird  is  often  brought  to  Ziinzihar  h\  the  ivorv  caraviiiis. 
t  The  iloctoi  's  bii'tliduy. 


t 


•228 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


March  25th. — Eeached  Kabwabwata  at  noon,  and  were  wel- 
comed by  Mohamad  and  all  the  people.  His  son,  Sheik  But,  ac- 
companied us ;  but  Mohamad  told  us  previously  that  it  was  like- 
ly Mpweto  would  refuse  to  see  us. 

The  water  is  reported  to  be  so  deep  in  front  that  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  go  north :  the  Wanyamwesi,  who  are  detained  here  as  well 
as  we,  say  it  is  often  more  than  a  man's  depth,  and  there  are  no 
canoes.  They  would  not  stop  here,  if  a  passage  home  could  be 
made.  I  am  thinking  of  going  to  Lake  Bemba,  because  at  least 
two  months  must  be  passed  here  still  before  a  passage  can  be 
made ;  but  my  goods  are  getting  done,  and  I  can  not  give  presents 
to  the  chiefs  on  our  way.- 

This  lake  has  a  sandy,  not  muddy  bottom^  as  we  were  at  first 
informed,  and  there  are  four  islands  in  it :  one,  the  Bangweolo,  is 
very  large,  and  many  people  live  on  it;  they  have  goats  and 
sheep  in  abundance  :  the  owners  of  canoes  demand  three  hoes  for 
the  hire  of  one  capable  of  carrying  eight  or  ten  persons.  Beyond 
this  island  it  is  sea  horizon  only.  The  tsebula  and  nzoc  antelopes 
abound.    The  people  desire  salt,  and  not  beads,  for  sale. 

Ai^ril  2d,  1868. — If  I  am  not  deceived  by  the  information  I 
have  received  from  various  reliable  sources,  the  springs  of  the 
Nile  rise  between  9°  and  10°  S.  lat,  or  at  least  four  or  five  hun- 
dred miles  south  of  the  south  end  of  Spoke's  lake,  which  he  con- 
sidered to  be  the  sources  of  the  Nile.  Tanganyika  is  declared  to 
send  its  water  through  north  into  Lake  Chowambd,  or  Baker's 
Lake.  If  this  does  not  prove  folsc,  then  Tanganyika  is  an  ex- 
pansion of  the  Nile,  and  so  is  Lake  Chowambe ;  the  two  lakes 
being  connected  by  the  River  Loanda.  Unfortunately,  the  peo- 
ple on  the  east  side  of  the  Loanda  are  constantly  at  war  with  the 
people  on  the  west  of  it,  or  those  of  Rusisi.  The"  Arabs  have 
been  talking  of  opening  up  a  path  through  to  Chowambe,  where 
much  ivory  is  reported.  I  hope  that  the  Most  High  may  give 
me  a  way  there. 

Ajn-il  llth. — I  had  a  long  oration  from  Mohamad  yesterday 
against  going  off  for  Bemba  to-morrow.  His  great  argument  is 
the  extortionate  way  of  Cascmbe,  who  would  demand  cloth,  and 
say  that,  in  pretending  to  go  to  Ujiji,  I  had  told  him  lies:  he 
adds  to  this  argument  that  this  is  the  last  month  of  the  rains; 
the  Masika  has  begun,  and  our  way  north  will  soon  be  open. 
The  fact  of  the  matter  is,  that  Mohamad,  by  not  telling  me  of 
the  superabundance  of  water  in  the  country  of  the  Marungu, 
which  occurs  every  year,  caused  me  to  lose  five  months.  He 
knew  that  we  should  be  detained  here;  but  he  was  so  eager  to 


DESERTION. 


229 


get  out  of  bis  state  of  durance  with  Casembe  that  be  hastened 
I  my  departure  by  asserting  that  we  should  be  at  Ujiji  in  one 
j  month.  I  regret  this  deception,  but  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at ; 
I  and  in  a  Mohammedan,  and  in  a  Christian  too,  it  is  thought  clev- 
I  er.  Were  my  goods  not  nearly  done,  I  would  go,  and  risk  the 
I  displeasure  of  Casembe  for  the  chance  of  discovering  the  Lake 
[  Bemba.  I  thought  once  of  buying  from  Mohamad  Bogharib, 
I  but  am  afraid  that  bis  stock  may  be  getting  low  too.  I  fear  that 
I  must  give  up  this  lake  for  the  present. 

April  I2ih. — I  think  of  starting  to-morrow  for  Bangweolo, 
even  if  Casembe  refuses  a  passage  beyond  him  :  we  shall  be  bet- 
ter there  than  we  are  here,  for  every  thing  at  Kabwabwata  is 
scarce  and  dear.  There  we  can  get  a  fowl  for  one  string  of 
beads,  here  it  costs  six :  there  fish  may  be  bought,  here  none. 
Three  of  Casembe's  principal  men  are  here — Kakwata,  Charley, 
and  Kapitenga.  They  are  anxious  to  go  home,  and  would  be  a 
gain  to  me,  but  Mohamad  detains  them ;  and  when  I  ask  his  rca- 
I  son,  he  says,  "Muabo  refuses;"  but  they  point  to  Mohamad's 
house,  and  say,  "  It  is  be  who  refuses." 

[A  very  serious  desertion  took  place  at  this  time  among  Dr. 
Livingstone's  followers.  Not  to  judge  them  too  harshly,  they 
had  become,  to  a  great  extent,  demoralized  by  camp  life  with 
Mohamad  and  his  horde  of  slaves  and  slavers.    The  Arab  tried 

I  all  he  could  to  dissuade  the  traveler  from  proceeding  south  in- 
stead of  homeward  through  Ujiji,  and  the  men  seem  to  have 

>  found  their  own  breaking-point  where  this  disappointment  oc- 
curred.] 

[  April  12lh. — On  preparing  t(j  start  this  morning,  my  people 
\  refused  to  go:  the  fact  is,  they  are  all  tired,  and  Mohamad's  op- 
position encourages  them.  Mohamad,  who  was  evidently  eager 
to  make  capital  out  of  their  refusal,  asked  me  to  remain  over  to- 
day, and  then  demanded  what  I  was  going  to  do  with  those  who 
had  ab.sconded.  I  said,  "Nothing:  if  a  magistrate  were  on  the 
spot,  I  would  give  them  over  to  him."  "Oh,"  said  he,  "I  am 
magistrate ;  shall  I  apprehend  them  ?"  To  this  I  assented.  He 
repeated  this  question  till  it  was  tiresome:  I  saw  his  reason  long 
afterward,  when  be  asserted  that  I  "came  to  him  and  asked  him 
to  bind  them,  but  he  had  refused :"  he  wanted  to  appear  to  the 
people  as  much  better  than  I  am. 

April  l-il/i. — I  start  off  with  five  attendapts,  leaving  most  of 
the  luggage  with  ^fohamad,  and  reach  the  Luao,  to  spend  the 
night.    Head  man  Ndowa. 
Ajiril  loth. — Amoda  ran  away  early  this  morning.  "Wishes 


230 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


to  stop  with  his  brothers."  They  think  that  by  refusing  to  go 
to  Bemba  they  will  force  me  to  remain  with  thera,  and  then  go 
to  Ujiji :  one  of  them  has  infused  the  idea  into  their  minds  that 
I  will  not  pay  them,  and  exclaims,  "Look  at  the  sepoys!" — not 
knowing  that  they  are  paid  by  the  Indian  Government ;  and  as 
for  the  Johanna  men,  they  were  prepaid  £29  45.  in  cash,  besides 
clothing.  I  sent  Amoda's  bundle  back  to  Mohamad.  My  mes- 
senger got  to  Kabwabwata  before  Amoda  did,  and  he  presented 
himself  to  my  Arab  friend,  who,  of  course,  scolded  him  :  he  re- 
plied that  he  was  tired  of  carrying,  and  no  other  fault  had  he; 
I  may  add  that  I  found  out  that  Amoda  wished  to  come  south 
to  me  with  one  of  Mohamad  Bogharib's  men,  but  "Mpamari" 
told  him  not  to  return.  Now  that  I  was  fairly  started,  I  told 
my  messenger  to  say  to  Mohamad  that  I  would  on  no  account 
go  id  Ujiji  till  I  had  done  all  in  my  power  to  reach  the  Lake  I 
sought:  I  would  even  prefer  waiting  at  Luao  or  Moero  till  peo- 
ple came  to  me  from  Ujiji  to  supplant  the  runaways.  I  did  not 
blame  them  very  severely  in  mj^own  mind  for  absconding:  they 
were  tired  of  tramping,  and  so,  verily,  am  I;  but  Mohamad,  in 
encouraging  them  to  escape  to  him,  and  talking  with  a  double 
ton2;ue,  can  not  be  exonerated  from  blame.  Little  else  can  bo 
expected  from  him.  He  has  lived  some  thirty-five  years  in  the 
country,  twenty-five  being  at  Casembe's,  and  there  he  had  often 
to  live  by  his  wits.  Consciousness  of  my  own  defects  makes  rac 
lenient. 

April  16th.  —  Ndowa  gives  Mita,  or  Mpamankanana,  as  the 
names  of  the  excavations  in  Muabo's  hills.  ITc  says  that  they 
are  sufficierit  to  conceal  all  the  p.eople  of  this  district  in  case  of 
war:  I  conjecture  that  this  implies  room  for  ten  thousand  people. 
Provisions  are  stored  in  them,  and  a  perennial  rivulet  runs  along 
a  whole  street  of  them.  On  one  occasion,  when  the  main  en- 
trance was  besieged  by  an  enemy,  some  one  who  knew  all  the 
intricacies  of  the  excavations  led  a  party  out  by  a  secret  passage, 
and  they,  coming  over  the  invaders,  drove  them  off  with  heavy 
loss.  Their  formation  is  universally  ascribed  to  the  Deity.  This 
may  mean  that  the  present  inhabitants  have  succeeded  the  origi- 
nal burrowing  race,  which  dug  out  many  caves  adjacent  to  Mount 
Ilor — the  Jehel  Nehi  Harin  (Mount  of  the  Prophet  Aaron)  of  the 
Arab.s — and  many  others ;  and  even  the  Bushman  caves,  a  thou- 
sand miles  south  of  this  region. 

A  very  minute  sharp-biting  mosquito  is  found  here:  the  wom- 
en try  to  drive  them  out  of  their  huts  by  whisking  bundles  of 
green  leaves  all  round  the  walls  before  turning  into  them. 


THE  WATER  IN  THE  LAKE  HIGHER. 


231 


Ainil  17th. — Crossed  the  Lnao  by  a  bridge  thirty  yards  long, 
and  more  than  half  a  mile  of  flood  on  each  side;  passed  many 
vilhiges,  standing  on  little  heights,  which  overlook  plains  filled 
with  water.  Some  three  miles  of  grassy  plains  abreast  of  Moero 
were  the  deepest  parts,  except  the  banks  of  Luao.  We  had  four 
hours  of  wading,  the  bottom  being  generally  black,  tenacious 
mud.  Ruts  had  been  formed  in  the  paths  by  the  feet  of  passen- 
gers: these  were  filled  with  soft  mud,  and,  us  they  could  not  be 
seen,  the  foot  was  often  placed  on  the  edge,  and  when  the  weight 
came  on  it,  down  it  slumped  into  the  mud,  half-way  up  the  calves ; 
it  was  difficult  to  draw  it  out,  and  very  fatiguing.  To  avoid  these 
ruts,  we  encroached  on  the  grass  at  the  sides  of  the  paths;  but 
often  step])ing  on  the  unseen  edge  of  a  rut,  we  floundered  in  with 
both  feet  to  keep  the  balance,  and  this  was  usually  followed  by  a 
rush  of  bubbles  to  the  surface,  which,  bursting,  discharged  foul 
air  of  frightful  fecal  odor.  In  parts,  the  black  mud  and  foul  wa- 
ter were  cold,  in  others  hot,  according  as  circulation  went  on  or 
not.  When  we  came  near  Moero,  the  water  became  half-chest 
and  whole-chest  deep :  all  perishable  articles  had  to  be  put  on 
the  head.  AVc  found  a  party  of  fishermen  on  the  sands,  and  I 
got  a  hut,  a  bath  in  the  clear  but  tepid  waters,  and  a  delicious 
hange  of  dress.    Water  of  lake,  83°  at  3  p.m. 

April  I8th.  —  We  marched  along  the  north  end  of  Moero, 
which  has  a  soutli-east  direction.  The  soft,  yielding  sand,  which 
s  flanked  by  a  broad  belt  of  tangled  tropical  vegetation  and  trees, 
added  to  the  fatigues  of  yesterday;  so,  finding  a  deserted  fisher- 
man's village  near  the  eastern  hills,  we  gladly  make  it  our  quar- 
ters for  Sunday  (19th).  I  made  no  mark,  but  the  Lake  is  at  least 
twenty  feet  higher  now  than  it  was  on  our  first  visits,  and  there 
are  banks  showing  higher  rises  even  than  this. 

Large  fish-baskets,  made  of  split  reeds,  are  used  in  trios  for 
catching  small  fish  ;  one  man  at  each  basket  drives  fish  ashore. 

Ajrril  20(h. — Went  on  to  Katcttc  River,  and  then  to  a  strong 
torrent.  Slept  at  a  village  on  the  north  bank  of  the  River  Vuna, 
where,  near  the  liills,  is  a  hot  fountain,  sometimes  u.sed  to  cook 
cassava  and  maize. 

April  21.v/. — Crossed  the  Vuna,  and  went  on  to  Kalembwd's 
village,  meeting  the  chief  at  the  gate,  who  guided  us  to  a  hut,  and 
manifested  great  curiosity  to  see  all  our  things:  he  asked  if  we 
could  not  stop  next  day  and  drink  beer,  wliich  would  then  be 
ready.  Leopards  abound  here.  The  Lake  now  seems  broader 
than  ever. 

I  could  not  conceive  that  a  hole  in  tlic  cartilage  of  the  nose 

IG 


232 


LinXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


could  be  turned  to  any  account  except  to  hold  an  ornament, 
thougb  that  is  usually  only  a  bit  of  grass,  but  a  man  sewing 
feathers  on  his  arrows  used  his  nose-hole  for  holding  a  needle ! 
In  coming  on  to  Xangalola,  we  found  the  country  swimming:  I 
got  separated  from  the  company,  though  I  saw  them  disappear  in 
the  long  grass  not  a  hundred  yards  off,  and  shouted,  but  the 
splashing  of  their  feet  prevented  any  one  bearing.  I  could  not 
find  a  path  going  south,  so  I  took  one  to  the  east  to  a  village. 
The  grass  was  so  long  and  tangled  I  could  scarcely  get  along; 
at  last  I  engaged  a  man  to  show  me  the  main  path  south,  and 
lie  took  me  to  a  neat  .village  of  a  woman  —  Nyinakasanga  — 
and  would  go  no  farther.  "Mother  Kasanga,"  as  the  name 
means,  had  been  very  handsome,  and  had  a. beautiful  daughter, 
probably  another  edition  of  herself:  she  advised  my  waiting  in 
thp  deep  shade  of  the  Fiaus  ludica,  in  which  her  houses  were 
placed.  I  fired  a  gun,  and  when  my  attendants  came  gave  her  a 
string  of  beads,  which  made  her  express  distress  at  m}'  "leaving 
without  drinking  any  thing  of  hers."  People  have  abandoned 
several  villages  on  account  of  the  abundance  of  ferocious  wild 
beasts. 

April  23d — Through  very  thick  tangled  nyassi  grass  to  Chi- 
kosi's  burned  village;  Nsama  had  killed  him.  We  spent  the 
night  in  a  garden  hut  which  the  fire  of  the  village  had  spared. 
Turnips  were  growing  in  the  ruins.  The  nj^assi,  or  long  coarse 
grass,  hangs  over  the  paths,  and,  in  pushing  it  aside,  the  sharp 
seeds  penetrate  the  clothes,  and  are  very  annoying.  The  grass 
itself  rubs  on  the  face  and  eyes  disagreeably:  when  it  is  burned 
■off  and  greensward  covers  the  soil,  it  is  much  more  pleasant 
walking. 

April  2-ith. — We  leave  Chikosi's  ruins  and  make  for  the  ford 
of  the  Kalungosi.  Marigolds  are  in  full  bloom  all  over  the  for- 
est, and  so  are  foxgloves.  The  river  is  here  fully  one  hundred 
yards  broad,  with  three  hundred  yards  of  flood  on  its  western 
bank;  so  deep  we  had  to  remain  in  the  canoes  till  within  fifty 
yards  of  the  higher  ground.  The  people  here  chew  the  pith  of 
the  papyrus,  which  is  three  inches  in  diameter,  and  as  white  as 
snow :  it  has  very  little  sweetness  or  any  thing  else  in  it.  The 
head  man  of  the  village  to  which  we  went  was  out  cutting  wood 
■for  a  garden,  and  his  wife  refused  us  a  hut;  but  when  Kansabala 
came  in  the  evening  he  scolded  his  own  spouse  roundly,  and  all 
the  wives  of  the  village,  and  then  pressed  me  to  come  indoors; 
but  I  was  well  enough  in  my  nio.squito  curtain  without,  and  de- 
clined.   I  was  free  from  insects  and  vermin,  and  fow  huts  arc  so. 


EXCESSIVE  POLITENESS  OF  THE  NATIVES. 


233 


April  25th. — Off  early  west,  and  tbeu  on  to  an  elevated  forest- 
land,  in  which  our  course  was  south-south-west  to  the  great  bend 

i  of  the  rivulet  Kifurwa,  which  enters  Moero  near  to  the  mouth  of 

'  the  Kalungoti. 

Ajyril  2Gth. — Here  we  spenf  Sunday  in  our  former  wood-cut- 
ters' huts.  Yesterday  we  were  met  by  a  party  of  the  same  occu- 
pation, laden  with  bark-cloth,  which  they  had  just  been  stripping 
off  the  trees.  Their  leader  would  not  come  along  the  path  be- 
cause I  was  sitting  near  it:  I  invited  him  to  do  so,  but  it  would 
have  been  disrespectful  to  let  his  shadow  fall  on  any  part  of  my 
person,  so  he  went  a  little  out  of  the  way :  this  politeness  is 

'  common. 

A2)nl  21  ih. — But  a  short  march  to  Fungafunga's  village:  we 
,  could  have  gone  on  to  the  Muatize,  but  no  village  exists  there, 
and  here  we  could  buy  food.  Fungafunga's  wife  gave  a  hand- 
some supper  to  the  stranger  :  on  afterward  acknowledging  it  to 
her  husband,  he  said,  "That  is  your  village;  always  go  that  way, 
and  eat  my  provisions."  He  is  a  Monyamwezi,  trading  in  the 
country  for  copper,  hoes,  and  slaves.  Parrots  are  here  in  numbers 
stealing  Uolcus  sorghum,  in  spite  of  the  shouts  of  the  women. 
I  We  cross  Muatizu  by  a  bridge  of  one  large  tree,  getting  a  good 
view  of  Moero  from  a  hill  near  Kabukwa,  and  sleep  at  Chirongo 
Eiver. 

April  29lh. — At  the  Mandapala  Eiver.    Some  men  here  from 
the  Chungu,  one  of  whom  claimed  to  be  a  relative  of  Casembe, 
;  made  a  great  outcry  against  our  coming  a  second  time  to  Casembe 
I  without  waiting  at  the  Kalungosi  for  permission.    One  of  them, 
'  with  his  cars  cropped  short  off,  asked  me,  when  I  was  departing 
'  north,  if  I  should  come  again.    I  replied,  "  Yes,  I  think  I  shall." 
I  They  excited  themselves  by  calling  over  the  same  thing  again 
'  and  again.    "  The  English  come  the  second  time !"  "  The  second 
time — the  second  time — the  country  spoiled!    Wh}--  not  wait  at 
•  the  Kalungosi?   Let  him  return  thither."    "  Come  from  ^[pamari 
'  too,  and  from  the  Bagaraganza  or  Banyamwczi!"     "The  second 
'  lime — the  second  time!"    Then  all  the  adjacent  villagers  were 
I  called  in  to  settle  this  serious  affair.    I  look  up  to  that  higher 
Power  to  influence  their  minds  as  He  has  often  done  before.  I 
persuaded  tliem  to  refer  the  matter  to  Casembe  himself,  by  send- 
I  ing  a  man  with  one  of  mine  up  to  the  town.    They  wouhl  not 
consent  to  go  on  to  the  Chungu,  as  tlie  old  croppcd-earcd  man 
would  have  been  obliged  to  come  back  the  distance  again,  he 
having  been  on  the  way  to  the  Kalungosi  as  a  sentinel  of  the 
ford.    Casembe  is  reasonable  and  fair,  but  his  people  are  neither, 


234 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


and  will  do  any  tiling  to  mulct  eitber  strangers  or  their  own 
countrymen. 

A2)7'il  SOth. — The  cold  of  winter  has  begun,  and  dew  is  deposit- 
ed in  great  quantities ;  but  all  the  streams  are  very  high  in  flood, 
though  the  rains  have  ceased  here  some  time. 

IIctTj  Isf,  1868. — At  the  Mandapala  River.  I  sent  a  request  to 
Mohamad  Bogharib  to  intercede  with  Casembe  for  me  for  a  man 
to  show  the  way  to  Chikumbi,  who  is  near  to  Bangweolo.  I  fear 
that  I  have  become  mixed  up  in  the  Lunda  mind  with  Mpamari 
(Mohamad  bin  Saleh),  from  having  gone  off  with  him  and  return- 
ing ere  we  reached  Ujiji,  whither  ostensibly  we  were  bound.  I 
may  be  suspected  of  being  in  bis  confidence,  and  of  forwarding 
his  plans  by  coming  back.  A  deaf  and  dumb  man  appears 
among  the  people  here,  making  signs  exactly  as  I  have  seen  such 
do  in  England,  and  occasionally  emitting  a  low,  unmodulated, 
guttural  drawl  like  them. 

May  Bd. — Abraham,  my  messenger,  came  back,  while  we  were 
at  afternoon  prayers,  with  good  news  for  us ;  but  what  made 
Cropped-ears  quite  chopfallen  was  that  Casembe  was  quite  gra- 
cious !  He  did  not  wish  me  to  go  awaj^,  and  now  I  am  welcome 
back;  and  as  soon  as  we  bear  of  peace  at  Chikumbi's,  we  shall 
have  a  man  to  conduct  us  thither.  The  Mazitu  were  reported 
to  have  made  an  inroad  into  Chikumbi's  country ;  and  it  was  said 
that  chief  had  fled,  and  Casembe  bad  sent  messengers  to  hear  the 
truth.    Thanks  to  the  Most  High  for  bis  kindness  and  influence. 

J/ay  4:tk.  —  We  leave  the  Mandapala.  Cropped-ears,  whose 
name  I  never  beard,  collapsed  at  once  on  bearing  the  message  of 
Casembe:  before  that  I  never  heard  such  a  babbler;  to  every 
one  passing,  man  or  woman,  be  repeated  the  same  insinuations 
about  the  English,  and  Mpamari,  and  the  Banyamwezi — con- 
spiracy—  guilt  —  return  a  second  time;  till,  like  a  meddling 
lawyer,  he  thought  that  be  bad  really  got  an  important  case  in 
hand ! 

The  River  Chungu  we  found  to  be  from  fifteen  to  eighteen 
yards  broad,  and  breast-deep,  with  at  least  one  hundred  yards  of 
flood,  before  we  reached  the  main  stream,  the  Mandapala.  The 
Chungu  and  tbe  Lundi  join  in  the  country  called  Kimbafuma, 
about  twelve  miles  from  our  crossing-place  of  Maiidajiala,  and 
about  west  of  it.  Tbe  Lundi  was  now  breast-deep  too,  and  twelve 
yards  broad. 

On  reaching  Casembe's,  on  tbe  Mofwe,  we  found  Mohamad 
Bogbarib  digging  and  fencing  up  a  well,  to  prevent  bis  slaves 
being  taken  away  by  the  crocodiles,  as  three  bad  been  eaten  al- 


SIOEIES  OF  PEREIIIA'S  VISIT. 


235 


ready.  A  dog  bit  the  leg  of  one  of  my  goats  so  badly  that  I  was 
j  obliged  to  kill  it :  they  are  nasty  curs  here,  without  courage,  and 
yet  they  sometimes  bite  people  badly.  I  met  some  old  friends, 
and  Mohamad  Bogharib  cooked  a  supper,  and  from  this  time  for- 
ward never  omitted  sharing  his  victuals  with  me. 

May  6th. — Manoel  Caetano  Pereira  visited  Casembe  in  1796, 
or  seventy-two  years  ago :  his  native  name  was  Moendo-mondo, 
or  the  world's  leg — "world-wide  traveler!"  He  came  to  Man- 
dapala,  for  there  the  Casembe  of  the  time  resided,  and  he  had 
a  priest,  or  "kasise,"  with  him,  and  many  people  with  guns. 
;  Perumbe,  the  oldest  man  now  in  Lunda,  had  children  even  then : 
If  Perembd  were  thirty  years  of  age  at  that  period,  he  would 
now  be  one  hundred  and  two  years  old,  and  he  seems  quite  that; 
for  when  Dr.  Lacerda  came  he  had  forty  children.  He  says  that 
Pereira  fired  off  all  his  guns  on  his  arrival ;  and  Casembe  asking 
hira  what  he  meant  by  that,  he  replied,  "These  guns  ask  for 
I  slaves  and  ivory,"  both  of  which  were  liberally  given. 

I  could  not  induce  Perembe  to  tell  any  thing  of  times  previous 
to  his  own.  Moendo-mondo,  the  world's  leg  (Pereira),  told  Dr. 
Lacerda  that  the  natives  called  him  "The  Terror!"  —  a  bit  of 
vanity,  for  they  have  no  such  word,  or  abstract  term,  in  their 
language. 

When  Major  Monteiro  was  here,  the  town  of  Casembe  was 
on  the  same  spot  as  now ;  but  the  mosuinba,  or  inclosure  of  the 
chief,  was  about  five  hundred  j^ards  south-east  of  the  present  one. 
Monteiro  went  nowhere  and  did  nothing,  but  some  of  his  attend- 
ants went  over  to  the  Luapula,  some  six  miles  distant.    He  com- 
I  plains  in  his  book  of  having  been  robbed  by  the  Casembe  of  the 
I  time.   On  asking  the  present  occupant  of  the  office  why  ^lonteiro's 
]  goods  were  taken  from  him,  he  replied  that  he  was  then  living  at 
i  another  village,  and  did  not  know  of  the  affiiir.    Mohamad  bin 
Salch  was  present,  and  he  says  that  Monteiro's  statement  is  false ; 
110  goods  were  forced  from  him;  but  it  was  a  year  of  scarcity, 
and  Monteiro  had  to  spend  his  goods  in  buying  food  instead  of 
slaves  and  ivory,  and  made  up  the  tale  of  Casembe  plundering 
him  to  appease  his  creditors. 

A  number  of  men  were  sent  with  Monteiro  as  an  honorary 
I  escort.  Kapika,  an  old  man  now  living,  was  the  chief,  or  one  of 
I  the  chiefs,  of  tliis  party,  and  he  says  that  he  went  to  Tettc,  Senna, 
and  Quilliinane  with  Monteiro:  this  honorary  escort  seems  con- 
,  firmalory  of  Mohamad's  e.\[)Ianation ;  for  had  Casembe  robbed 
(  the  major  none  would  have  been  granted  or  received. 

It  is  warmer  here  than  we  found  it  in  the  way ;  clouds  cover 


236 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


the  sky,  and  prevent  radiation.  The  sorghum  is  now  in  fall  ear. 
People  make  very  neat  mats  of  the  leaves  of  the  shuare-palm.  I 
got  lunars  this  time. 

May  9th. — Eight  or  ten  men  went  past  us  this  morning,  sent 
by  the  chief  to  catch  people  whom  he  intends  to  send  to  his  para- 
mount chief,  Matiamvo,  as  a  tribute  of  slaves.  Purembc  gives 
the  following  list  of  the  Casembes: 

1.  Kanyimbe,  came  from  Liinda,  attracted  by  the  fish  of 
Mofwe  and  Moero,  and  conquered  Perembe's  forefather,  Katerd, 
who  planted  the  first  palm-oil  palms  here  from  seeds  got  in  Lun- 
da.  It  is  probable  that  the  intercourse  then  set  afoot  led  to  Ka- 
nyimbe's  coming  and  conquest. 

2.  KlXYANTA. 

3.  Nguanda  milonda. 

4.  Kanyembo. 

5.  Lekwisa. 

6.  KiREKA. 

7.  Kapumba. 

8.  KiNYANTA. 

9.  Lekwisa,  still  alive,  but  a  fugitive  at  Nsama's. 

10.  MuoNGA,  the  present  ruler,  who  drove  Lekwisa  ayvay. 

The  Portuguese  came  to  Kireka,  who  is  said  to  have  been 
very  liberal  with  presents  of  ivory,  slaves,  and  cattle.  The  pres- 
ent man  has  good  sense,  and  is  very  fair  in  his  judgments,  but 
stingy  toward  his  own  people  as  well  as  strangers;  nevertheless, 
I  have  had  good  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  his  conduct  to  me. 
Maiye,  not  in  the  list,  and  7,  8,  9,  10,  are  the  children  of  Kireka. 
Muonga  is  said  by  the  others  to  be  a  slave  "  born  out  of  the 
house;"  that  is,  his  mother  was  not  of  the  royal  line;  she  is  an 
ugly  old  woman,  and  greedy.  I  got  rid  of  her  begging  by  giv- 
ing her  the  beads  she  sought,  and  requesting  her  to  cook  some 
food  for  me ;  she  begged  no  more,  afraid  that  I  would  press  iny 
claim  for  provisions! 

Afaij  lOlh. — I  sent  to  Casembe  for  a  guide  to  Luapula.  lie  re- 
plied that  he  had  not  seen  me  nor  given  me  any  food;  I  must 
come  to-morrow;  but  next  day  he  was  occupied  in  killing  a  man 
for  witchcraft,  and  could  not  receive  us,  but  said  that  lie  would 
on  the  12tli.  Tic  sent  fifteen  fish  (perch)  from  Mofwt',  and  a 
large  basket  of  dried  cassava.  I  have  taken  lunars  several  times, 
measuring  both  sides  of  the  moon  about  one  hundred  and  ninety 
times,  but  a  silly  map-maker  may  alter  the  whole  for  the  most 
idiotic  of  reasons. 


MPJMAEI  OUT  OF  FAVOR. 


237 


May  13th. — Mohamad  Bogharib  lias  been  here  some  seven 
months,  and  bought  three  tusks  only;  the  hunting,  by  Casembe's 
people,  of  elephants  in  the  Mofwc  has  been  unsuccessful. 

We  did  not  get  an  audience  from  Casembe;  the  fault  lay  with 
Kapika — Monteiro's  escort — being  afraid  to  annoy  Casembe  by 
putting  him  in  mind  of  it;  but  on  the  loth  Casembe  sent  for  me, 
and  told  me  that  as  the  people  had  all  fled  from  Chikumbi's,  he 
would  therefore  send  guides  to  take  us  to  Kabaia,  where  there 
was  still  a  population :  he  wished  me  to  wait  a  few  days  till  he 
had  looked  out  good  men  as  guides,  and  ground  some  flour  for 
us  to  use  in  the  journey.  He  understood  that  I  wished  to  go  to 
Bangwcolo;  and  it  was  all  right  to  do  what  my  own  chief  had 
sent  mc  for,  and  then  come  back  to  him.  It  was  only  water — 
the  same  as  Luapula,  Mofwe,  and  Moero;  nothing  to  be  seen. 
'  His  people  must  not  molest  me  again,  but  let  me  go  where  I 
liked.  This  made  me  thank  Him  who  has  the  hearts  of  all  in 
His  hand. 

i  Casembe  also  admitted  that  he  had  injured  Mpamari,  but  he 
would  send  him  some  slaves  and  ivory  in  reparation:  he  is  bet- 
ter than  his  people,  who  are  excessively  litigious,  and  fond  of 
milandos,  or  causes — suits.  He  asked  if  I  had  not  the  leopard's 
skin  he  gave  me  to  sit  on,  as  it  was  bad  to  sit  on  the  ground;  I 
told  him  it  had  so  many  holes  in  it  people  laughed  at  it  and 
made  me  ashanied,  but  be  did  not  take  the  hint  to  give  me  an- 
other. He  always  talks  good  .sense  when  he  has  not  swilled  beer, 
or  pombe:  all  the  Arabs  are  loud  in  his  praises,  but' they  have  a 
bad  opinion  of  the  Queen  Moari,  or  Ngombe,  or  Kifuta.  The 
Garaganza  people  at  Katanga  killed  a  near  relative  of  Casembe 

>  and  herself,  and  when  the  event  happened,  Fungafunga,  one  of 
the  Garaganza,  or  Banyamwezi,  being  near  the  spot,  fled  and  came 
to  the  Mufvve:  lie  continued  his  flight  as  soon  as  it  was  dark,  with- 
out saying  any  thing  to  any  one,  until  he  got  north  to  Kabiure. 

I  The  queen  and  Casembe  suspected  M[)amari  of  complicity  with 
the  Banyamwezi,  and  believed  that  Fungafunga  had  communica- 
ted the'news  to  him  before  fleeing  farther.  A  tumuli  was  made, 
Mpamari's  eldest  .son  was  killed,  and  he  was  plundered  of  all  his 
copper,  ivory,  and  slaves:  the  queen  loudly  demanded  his  execu- 
tion; but  Ca.setnbc  restrained  his  people  as  well  as  he  was  able, 
and  it  is  for  this  injury  that  he  now  profes.ses  to  be  sorry. 

The  queen  only  acted  according  to  the  principles  of  lier  jieo- 
ple.  "  Mpamari  killed  my  son,  kill  his  son — himself."  It  is  dif- 
ficult to  get  at  the  truth,  for  Mohamad  or  Mi)amari  never  tells  the 
wiiolc  truth.    He  went  to  fight  Nsama  with  Muonga,  and  was 


238 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUEXALS. 


wounded  in  the  foot  and  routed,  and  is  now  glad  to  get  out  of 
Lunda  back  to  Ujiji. 

3Iay  16th. — Con)plete  twenty  sets  of  lunars. 

May  17th. — Mohamad  Bogharib  told  Casembe  that  he  could 
buy  nothing,  and  therefore  was  going  away ;  Casembe  replied 
that  he  had  no  ivory,  and  he  might  go:  this  was  sensible.  He 
sent  far  and  near  to  find  some,  but  failed,  and  now  confesses  a 
truth  which  most  chiefs  hide,  from  unwillingness  to  appear  poor 
before  foreigners. 

3Tai/  18th,  19lh.  —  It  it  hot  here,  though  winter,  but  cold  by 
night.  Casembe  has  sent  for  fish  for  us.  News  came  that  one 
of  Syde  bin  Habib's  men  had  come  to  Chikumbi,  on  his  way  to 
Zanzibar. 

May  20th. — A  thunder-shower  from  the  east  laid  the  dust  and 
cooled  the  ground :  the  last  shower  of  this  season,  as  a  similar 
slight  shower  was  the  finish  up  of  the  last  on  the  12th  of  May. 

May  21st. — This  can  not  be  called  a  rainy  month :  April  is  the 
last  month  of  the  wet  season,  and  November  the  first. 

May  22(1. — Casembe  is  so  slow  with  his  fish,  meal,  and  guides, 
and  his  people  so  afraid  to  hurry  him,  that  I  think  of  going  off 
as  soon  as  Mohamad  Bogharib  moves.  He  is  going  to  Cliikum- 
bi's  to  buy  copper,  and  thence  he  will  proceed  to  Uvira  to  ex- 
change that  for  ivory;  but  this  is  at  present  kept  as  a  secret  from 
his  slaves.  The  way  seems  thus  to  be  opening  for  me  to  go  to 
the  large  lake  west  of  Uvira. 

I  told  Casembe  that  we  were  going.  He  said  to  me  that  if,  in 
coming  back,  I  had  found  no  traveling  party,  I  nuist  not  risk  go- 
ing by  Nsama's  road  with  so  few  ]ieople,  but  must  go  to  his 
brother  Moenempanda,  and  he  would  send  men  to  guide  me  to 
him,  and  thence  he  would  send  me  safely  by  his  path  along  Lake 
Moero :  this  was  all  very  good. 

May  2%d. — The  Arabs  made  a  sort  of  sacrifice  of  a  goat,  which 
was  cooked  all  at  once ;  they  sent  a  good  dish  of  it  to  me.  Tliey 
read  the  Koran  very  industriously,  and  prayed  for  success  or  luck 
in  leaving,  and  seem  sincerely  religious,  according  to  the  light 
that  is  in  them.  The  use  of  incense  and  sacrifices  brings  back 
the  old  Jewish  times  to  mind. 

A  number  of  people  went  off  to  the  Kancngwa,  a  rivulet  an 
hour  south  of  this,  to  build  huts;  there  they  arc  to  take  leave 
of  Casembe,  for  the  main  body  goes  off  to-monow,  after  we  have 
.seen  the  new  moon.  They  are  very  parlicuhir  in  selecting  lucky 
days;  and  any  thing  unpleasant  that  may  have  happened  in  one 
month  is  supposed  to  be  avoided  by  choosing  a  dificrent  day  for 


CASEMBE'S  DECISION. 


239 


beginning  an  enterprise  in  the  next.  Mohamad  left  Uvira  on  the 
third  day  of  a  new  moon,  and  several  fires  happened  in  his  camp ; 
he  now  considers  a  third  day  inauspicious. 

Casembe's  dura  or  sorghum  is  ripe  to-day :  he  has  eaten  ma- 
pemba  or  dura,  and  all  may  thereafter  do  the  same.  This  is  just 
about  the  time  when  it  ripens  and  is  reaped  at  Kolobeng;  thus 
the  difference  in  the  seasons  is  not  great. 

May  24:(h. — Detained  four  days  yet.  Casembe's  chief  men  re- 
fuse to  escort  Mohamad  Bogharib:  they  know  him  to  be  in  debt, 
and  fear  that  he  may  be  angiy,  but  no  dunning  was  intended. 
Casembe  was  making  every  effort  to  get  ivory  to  liquidate  it, 
and  at  last  got  a  couple  of  tusks,  which  he  joyfully  gave  to  Mo- 
hamad: he  has  risen  much  in  the  estimation  of  us  all. 

3luy  26th. — Casembe's  people  killed  five  buffaloes  by  chasing 
them  into  the  mud  and  water  of  Mofwe;  so  he  is  seeing  to  the 
division  of  the  meat,  and  will  take  leave  to-morrow. 

Mui/  2Slh. — We  went  to  Casembe ;  he  was  as  gracious  as  usual. 
A  case  of  crun.  con.  was  brought  forward  against  an  Arab's  slave, 
and  an  attempt  was  made  to  arrange  the  matter  privately  by  of- 
fering three  cloths,  beads,  and  another  slave,  but  the  complainant 
refused  evci-y  thing.  Casembe  dismissed  the  case  by  saying  to 
the  complainant,  "You  send  your  women  to  entrap  the  strangers 
in  order  to  get  a  fine,  but  you  will  get  nothing:"  this  was  liighly 
applauded  by  the  Arabs,  and  the  owner  of  the  slave  heaped  dust 
on  his  head,  as  many  had  done  before  for  favors  received.  Ca- 
sembe, .still  anxious  to  get  ivory  for  Mohamad,  proposed  another 
delay  of  four  days  to  send  for  it;  but  all  are  tired,  and  it  is  evi- 
dent that  it  is  not  want  of  will  that  prevents  ivory  being  pro- 
duced. 

His  men  returned  without  any,  and  he  frankly  confessed  inabil- 
ity: he  is  evidently  very  poor. 

Mai/  30(h. — We  went  to  the  Kanengwa  rivulet  at  the  south  end 
of  Mofwe,  which  forms  a  little  lagoon  there  fifty  yfirds  broad  and 
thigh-deep;  but  this  is  not  the  important  feeder  of  the  lagoon, 
which  is  from  two  to  three  miles  broad,  and  nearly  four  long: 
that  has  many  large,  flat,  sedgy  islands  in  it,  and  its  water  is  sup- 
plied by  the  Mbere/e  from  south-east. 

May  3lst. — Old  Kapika  sold  his  young  and  good-looking  wife 
for  unfaithfulness,  as  he  alleged.  The  sight  of  a  lady  in  the  chain- 
gang  shocked  the  ladies  of  Lunda,  who  ran  to  her,  and  having 
ascertained  from  her  own  mouth  what  was  sufTieiently  apparent, 
that  she  was  a  slave  now,  clapped  their  hands  on  their  mouths  in 
the  way  that  they  express  wonder,  surprise,  and  horror:  tlic  hand 


240 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


is  placed  so  that  the  fingers  are  on  one  cheek  and  the  thumb  on 
the  other. 

The  case  of  the  chieftainess  excited  great  sj-mpathy  among  the 
people  :  some  brought  her  food  ;  Kapika's  daughters  brought  her 
pombe  and  bananas;  one  man  offered  to  redeem  her  with  two, 
another  with  three  slaves;  but  Casembe,  who  is  very  strict  in 
punishing  infidelity,  said,  "No;  though  ten  slaves  be  offered,  she 
must  go."  He  is  probably  afraid  of  his  own  beautiful  queen 
should  the  law  »be  relaxed.  Old  Kapika  came  and  said  to  her, 
"  You  refused  me,  and  I  now  refuse  you."  A  young  wife  of  old 
Pdrembe  was  also  sold  as  a  punishment,  but  redeemed. 

There  is  a  very  large  proportion  of  very  old  and  very  tall  men 
in  this  district.  The  slave-trader  is  a  means  of  punishing  the 
wives  which  these  old  fogies  ou2;ht  never  to  have  had. 

Casembe  sent  me  about  a  hundred -weight  of  the  small  fish 
nsipo,  which  seems  to  be  the  white-bait  of  our  country  ;  it  is  a  lit- 
tle bitter  when  cooked  alone,  but  with  ground-nuts  is  a  tolerable 
relish:  we  can  buy  flour  with  these  at  Chikumbi's. 


QUEEN  MOARI  IN  STATE. 


241 


CHAPTER  XIT. 

Prepares  to  examine  Lake  Bemba. — Starts  from  Casembe's,  June  11th,  18C8. — Dead 
Leopard. — Moenanipanda's  Reception. — The  River  Luongo. — Weird  Deatli-song 
of  Slaves. — The  Poorest  Grave. — Lake  Bembo  changed  to  Lake  Bangweolo. — Chi- 
kumbi'.s. — The  Imbozwa  People. — Kombokombo"s  Stockade. — Jlazitu's  Difficul- 
ties.— Discovers  Lake  Bangweolo  on  July  18tli,  1868. — The  Lake  Chief  Mapuni. 
— Descri])tion  of  the  Lake. — Prepares  to  navigate  it. — Embarks  for  Lifunge'  Isl- 
and.— Immense  Size  of  Lake. — Reaches  Mpabala  Island. — Strange  Dream. — Fears 
of  Canoe-men. — Return  to  Shore. — March  back. — Sends  Letters. — Meets  Banyam- 
vvezi. — Reviews  recent  Explorations  at  length. — Disturbed  State  of  the  Country. 

June  1st,  1868. — Mohamad  proposes  to  go  to  Katanga  to  buy 
copper,  and  invites  me  to  go  too.  I  wish  to  see  the  Lufra  River, 
but  I  must  see  Bemba  or  Bangweolo.  Grant  guidance  from 
above ! 

June  2d. — In  passing  a  field  of  cassava,  I  picked  the  pods  of  a 
plant  called  mulumbi,  which  climbs  up  the  cassava  ba.shes ;  at  the 
root  it  has  a  number  of  tubers  with  eyes  exactly  like  the  potato. 
One  plant  had  sixteen  of  these  tubers,  each  about  two  inches  long 
and  one  and  a  half  in  diameter;  another  tuber  was  five  inches 
long  and  two  in  diameter:  it  would  be  difficult  for  any  one  to 
distinguish  them  from  English  potatoes.  When  boiled  they  are 
a  little  waxy,  and,  compared  with  our  potato,  hard.  There  are 
colors  inside,  the  outer  part  reddish,  the  inner  whiter.  At  first 
none  of  the  party  knew  them,  but  afterward  they  were  recog- 
nized as  cultivated  at  Zanzibar  by  the  name  "men,"  and  very 
good  when  mashed  with  fish.  If  in  Zanzibar,  they  are  probably 
known  in  other  tropical  islands. 

June  4:ih. — From  what  I  see  of  slaving,  even  in  its  best  phases, 
I  would  not  be  a  slave-dealer  for  the  world. 

June  5th. — The  Queen  Moari  passed  us  this  morning,  going  to 
build  a  hut  at  her  plantation;  she  has  a  pleasant  European  coun- 
tenance, clean,  light-brown  skin,  and  a  merry  laugh,  and  would 
be  admired  anywhere.  I  stood  among  the  cassava  to  see  her 
pass.  She  twirled  her  umbrella  as  she  came  near,  borne  by  twelve 
men,  and  seemed  to  take  up  tlie  laugh  which  made  her  and  her 
maids  bolt  at  my  reception,  showing  tiiat  she  laughs  not  with  her 
mouth  on!}',  but  with  her  eyes  and  checks.  Slie  said,  "  Yambo" 
(how  aic  you)?  "^Fo  which  I  replied,  "Yambo  sana"  (very  well). 
One  of  her  attendants  said,  "Give  her  something  of  what  you 


242 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUIINALS. 


have  at  hand,  or  in  the  pockets."  I  said,  "  I  have  nothing  here," 
and  asked  her  if  she  would  come  back  near  my  hut.  She  rephed 
that  she  would,  and  I  duly  sent  for  two  strings  of  red  beads,  which 
I  presented.  Being  lower  than  she,  I  could 
see  that  she  had  a  hole  through  the  carti- 
lage, near  the  point  of  her  slightly  aqui- 
FiiedTeeihofQueeuMoari.  ]ine  nose ;  and  a  space  was  filed  between 
the  two  front  teeth,  so  as  to  leave  a  triangular  hole. 

After  delay  had  grown  vexatious,  we  march  three  hours  on  the 
9th,  and  reach  the  Katofia  Eiver,  covered  with  aquatic  trees,  and 
running  into  the  Mbereze:  five  yards  wide  and  knee-deep. 

June  10th. — Detained' again,  for  business  is  not  finished  with 
the  people  of  Casembe.  The  people  can  not  esteem  the  slave- 
trader,  who  is  used  as  a  means  of  punishing  those  who  have  fam- 
ily differences,  as  those  of  a  wife  with  her  husband,  or  a  servant 
with  his  master.  The  slaves  are  said  to  be  generally  criminals, 
and  are  sold  in  revenge  or  as  punishment.  Kapika's  wife  had  an 
ornament  of  the  end  of  a  shell  called  the  cone;  it  was  borrowed, 
and  she  came  away  with  it  in  her  hair:  the  owner,  without  mak- 
ing any  effort  to  recover  it,  seized  one  of  Kapika's  daughters  as 
a  pledge  that  Kapika  would  exert  himself  to  get  it  back ! 

[At  last  the  tedious  delay  came  to  an  end,  and  we  must  now 
follow  the  doctor  on  his  way  south  to  discover  Lake  Bemba.] 

Jime  11th. — Crossed  the  Mbereze,  ten  yards  broad  and  thigh- 
deep,  ascending  a  range  of  low  hills  of  hardened  sandstone,  cov- 
ered, as  the  country  generally  is,  with  forest ;  our  course  south- 
east and  south-south-east;  then  descended  into  a  densely  wooded 
valley,  having  a  rivulet  four  yards  wide  and  knee-deep;  bullaloes 
and  elephants  very  numerous. 

June  12th. — We  crossed  the  Mberdze  again  twice ;  then  a  very 
deep,  narrow  rivulet,  and  stopped  at  another  in  a  mass  of  trees, 
where  we  spend  the  night,  and,  killing  an  ox,  remained  next  day 
to  eat  it.  AVhen  at  Kanengwa,  a  small  party  of  men  came  past, 
shouting  as  if  they  had  done  something  of  importance :  on  going 
to  them,  I  found  that  two  of  them  carried  a  lion  slung  to  a  pole. 
It  was  a  small  maneless  variety,  called  "  the  lion  of  Xijassi,"  or 
"long  grass."  It  had  killed  a  man,  and  they  killed  it.  They  had 
its  mouth  carefully  strapped,  and  the  paws  tied  across  its  chest, 
and  were  taking  it  to  Casembe.  Ni/a.ssi  means  long  grass,  such 
as  towers  overhead,  and  is  as  thick  in  the  stalk  as  a  goose-quill, 
and  is  erroneously  applied  to  Nyassa.  Other  lions — Tliambwe, 
Karamo,  Simba — are  said  to  stand  five  feet  high,  and  some  high- 


CASEMBE'S  BROTHER. 


243 


er:  this  seemed  about  three  feet  high,  but  it  was  too  dark  to  meas- 
ure it. 

June  lS(h. — The  Arabs  distinguish  the  Suaheb',  or  Arabs  of 
mixed  African  blood,  by  the  absence  of  beard  and  whiskers:  these 
are  usually  small  and  stunted  in  the  Suaheli. 

Birds,  as  the  Drongo  shrike,  and  a  bird  very  like  the  gray  lin- 
net, with  a  thick  reddish  bill,  assemble  in  very  large  flocks,  now 
that  it  is  winter,  and  continue  thus  till  November,  or  period  of 
the  rains. 

A  very  minute  bee  goes  into  the  common  small  holes  in  worm- 
eaten  wood  to  make  a  comb  and  lay  its  eggs,  with  a  supply  of 
honey.  There  are  seven  or  eight  honey-bees  of  small  size  in  this 
country. 

A  sphex  may  be  seen  to  make  holes  in  the  ground,  placing 
stupefied  insects  in  them  with  her  eggs ;  another  species  watches 
when  she  goes  off  to  get  more  insects,  and  every  now  and  then 
goes  in  too  to  lay  her  eggs,  I  suppose  without  any  labor :  there 
does  not  appear  to  be  any  enmity  between  them.  We  remained 
a  day  to  buy  food  for  the  party,  and  eat  our  ox. 

June  14:th. — March  over  well-wooded  highlands,  with  dolomite 
rocks  cropping  out,  and  trees  all  covered  with  lichens;  the  water- 
shed then  changed  to  the  south. 

June  15th. — Very  cold  in  mornings  now  (43°).  Found  Moe- 
nempanda,  Casembe's  brother,  on  the  Luluputa,  a  stream  twenty 
yards  wide,  and  flowing  west.  The  Moenempanda  visited  by  the 
Portuguese  was  grandfather  to  this  one,  and  not  at  the  same  spot. 
It  is  u.seles3  to  put  down  the  names  of  chiefs  as  indicating  geo- 
graphical positions,  for  the  name  is  often  continued,  but  at  a  spot 
far  distant  from  the  dwelling  of  the  original  po.ssessor.  A  slave 
tried  to  break  out  of  his  slave-stick,  and  actually  broke  half  an 
inch  of  to\igh  iron  with  his  fingers:  the  end  stuck  in  the  wood, 
or  he  would  have  freed  himself 

The  chief  gave  me  a  public  reception,  which  w\as  like  that  of 
Casernbe,  but  better  managed.  lie  is  young,  and  very  handsome 
but  for  a  defect  in  his  eyes,  which  makes  him  keep  them  half 
shut  or  squinting.  He  walked  off  in  the  jaunty  way  all  chiefs 
do  in  this  country,  to  .show  the  weight  of  rings  and  beads  on  the 
leg.s,  and  many  imitate  this  walk  who  have  none,  exactly  as  our 
fathers  imitated  the  big  cravat  of  George  IV.,  who  thereby  hid 
defects  in  his  neck:  thousands  carried  their  cravats  over  the  chin 
who  had  no  defects  to  hide.  Moenempanda  carried  his  back  stiff- 
ly, and  no  wonder — he  had  about  ten  yards  of  a  train  carried  be- 
hind it.    About  six  hundred  people  were  present.    They  kept 


244 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


rank,  but  not  step;  were  well  armed;  marimbas  and  square 
drums  formed  the  bands,  and  one  musician  added  his  voice:  "I 
have  been  to  Syed"  (the  Sultan);  "I  have  been  to  Meereput" 
(King  of  Portugal) ;  "  I  have  been  to  the  sea."  At  a  private  re- 
ception, where  he  was  divested  of  his  train,  and  had  only  one  um- 
brella instead  of  three,  I  gave  him  a-  cloth.  The  Arabs  thought 
highly  of  him  ;  but  his  graciousness  had  been  expended  on  them 
in  getting  into  debt:  he  now  showed  no  inclination  to  get  out  of 
it,  but  offered  about  a  twentieth  part  of  the  value  of  the  goods  in 
liquidation.  He  sent  me  two  pots  of  beer,  which  I  care  not  to 
drink  except  when  very  thirst\^  on  a  march,  and  promised  a  man 
to  guide  me  to  Chikumbi,  and  then  refused.  Casembe  rose  in 
the  esteem  of  all  as  Moenempantja  sank,  aijd  his  people  were 
made  to  understand  how  shabbily  he  had  behaved. 

The  Lulaputa  is  said  to  flow  into  the  Lucna,  and  that  into  the 
Luongo:  there  must  be  two  Ludnas. 

June  22d. — March  across  a  grassy  plain  southerly  to  the  Lu- 
ongo, a  deep  river  embowered  in  a  dense  forest  of  trees,  all  cov- 
ered with  lichens — some  flat,  others  long  and  thready,  like  old 
men's  beards,  and  waving  in  the  wind,  just  as  they  do  on  the 
mangrove-swamp  trees  on  the  coast.  The  Luongo  here  is  fifty 
yards  broad  and  three  fathoms  deep;  near  its  junction  with  the 
Luapula  it  is  one  hundred  yards ;  it  rises  here  to  eight  fathoms' 
depth.  A  bridge  of  forty  yards  led  us  over  to  an  island,  and  a 
branch  of  the  river  was  ten  yards  beyond.  The  bridge  had  been 
broken,  some  thought  on  purpose,  but  it  was  soon  mended  with 
trees  eighteen  to  twenty  yards  long.  We  went  a  little  way  be- 
yond, and  then  halted  for  a  day  at  a  rivulet  flowing  into  the  Lu- 
ongo, two  hundred  yards  off. 

June  23d. — We  waited  for  copper  here,  which  was  at  first  re- 
fused as  payment  of  debt.  I  saw  now  that  the  Luongo  had  steep 
clay  banks  fifteen  feet  down,  and  many  meadows,  which  must  be 
swimming  during  the  rains.   The  Lucna  is  said  to  rise  east  of  this. 

[In  a  private  letter  Livingstone  shows  that  he  had  seldom  been 
more  affected  by  the  sufferings  of  slaves  than  at  this  time,  and  it 
would  perhaps  be  difficult  to  imagine  any  scene  moi-e  calculated 
to  excite  misery  and  distress  of  mind. 

The  following  incident  deals  with  tlic  firm  belief  in  a  future 
state,  which  enters  so  largely  into  the  minds  of  all  Africans,  and 
which  for  very  lack  of  guidance  assumes  all  the  distorted  growths 
of  superstition. 

lie  must  be  of  a  thankless  spirit  who  does  not  long  to  substi- 
tute the  great  vision  of  future  peace  aflbrded  by  Christianity,  in 


A  FOREST  GRAVE. 


245 


lieu  of  the  ghastly  satisfaction  which  cheered  these  men,  when  he 
sees  by  the  light  of  this  story  the  capacity  tljat  exists  for  realizing 
a  life  beyond  the  grave.] 

Jane  2Uh. — Six  men  slaves  were  singing  as  if  they  did  not 
feel  the  weight  and  degradation  of  the  slave-sticks.  I  asked  the 
cause  of  their  mirth,  and  was  told  that  they  rejoiced  at  the  idea 
"of  coming  back  after  death,  and  haunting  and  killing  those  who 

O  TOO 

had  sold  them."  Some  of  the  words  I  had  to  inquire  about;  for 
instance,  the  meaning  of  the  words  "to  haunt  and  kill  by  spirit 
power;''  then  it  was,  "Oh,  you  sent  me  oflf  to  Manga  (sea-coast), 
but  the  yoke  is  off  when  I  die,  and  back  I  shall  come  to  haunt 
and  to  kill  you."  Then  all  joined  in  the  chorus,  which  was  the 
name  of  each  vender.  It  told  not  of  fun,  but  of  the  bitterness  and 
tears  of  such  as  were  oppressed,  and  on  the  side  of  the  oppressors 
there  was  a  power:  there  be  higher  than  they. 

Pdrembe  was  one  of  the  culprits  thus  menaced.  The  slave- 
owner asked  Kapika's  wife  if  she  would  j'etuni  to  kill  Kupika. 
The  others  answered  to  the  names  of  the  different  men  with 
laughter.  Her  heart  was  evidently  sore:  for  a  lady  to  come  so 
low  down  is  to  her  grievous.  She  has  lost  her  jaunty  air,  and 
is,  with  her  head  shaved,  ugly  ;  but  she  never  forgets  to  address 
her  captors  with  dignity,  and  they  seem  to  fear  her. 

June  2oth. — We  went  over  flat  forest,  with* patches  of  brown 
hematite  cropping  out;  this  is  the  usual  iron  ore,  but  I  saw  in  a 
village  pieces  of  specular  iron  ore  which  had  been  brought  for 
smelting.  The  Luongo  flowed  away  somewhat  to  our  right  or 
west,  and  the  villagers  had  selected  their  site  where  only  well- 
water  could  be  found  :  we  went  ten  minutes  toward  the  Luongo, 
and  got  abundance. 

The  gardens  had  high  hedg- 
es round,  to  keep  oH'  wild 
beasts.  We  came  to  a  grave 
in  the  forest;  it  was  a  little 
rounded  mound,  as  if  the  oc- 
cupant sat  in  it  in  the  usual 
native  way  :  it  was  strewed 
over  with  flour,  and  a  number 
of  the  large  blue  beads  put  on 
it:  a  little  path  sliowed  that  it 

had  visitors.  This  is  the  sort  of  grave  I  should  jirefer :  to  lie  in 
the  still,  still  forest,  and  no  hand  ever  disturb  my  bones.  The 
graves  at  iiomc  always  seemed  to  me  to  be  miserable,  especially 
those  in  the  cold,  damp  clay,  and  without  elbow-room:  but  I  have 


'246 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


nothing  to  do  but  wait  till  He  who  is  over  all  decides  where 
I  have  to  lay  me  down  and  die.  Poor  Mary  lies  on  Shupanga 
brae,  "  and  beeks  foment  the  siin."* 

Came  to  the  Chando  River,  which  is  the  boundary  between 
Casembe  and  Chikumbi;  but  Casembe  is  over  all. 

June  27th. — We  crossed  a  flooded  marsh,  with  the  water  very 
cold,  and  then  the  Chando  itself,  twelve  feet  broad  and  knee- 
deep  ;  then  on  to  another  strong  brook,  ISTsenga. 

June  28ih. — After  service  we  went  on  up  hills  to  a  stockade 
of -Banyamwezi,  on  the  Kalomina  River,  and  here  we  built  our 
sheds :  the  spot  is  called  Kizinga,  and  is  on  the  top  of  a  sand- 
stone range,  covered  as  ■  usual  with  forest.  The  Banyamwezi 
beat  off  the  Mazitu  with  their  guns,  while  all,  the  country  people 
fled.  The  Banyamwezi  are  decided!}'  uglier  than  the  Balonda 
and  Baitawa :  they  eat  no  fish,  though  they  come  from  the  east 
side  of  Tanganyika,  where  fish  are  abundant  and  cheap ;  but 
though  uglier,  they  have  more  of  the  sense  of  honor  with  traders 
than  tlie  aborioines. 

June  2Qth. — Observed  the  "smokes"  to-day,  the  first  of  the 
season  :f  they  obscured  the  whole  country. 

July  1st,  1868. — I  went  over  to  Chikumbi,  the  paramount  chief 
of  this  district,  and  gave  him  a  cloth,  begging  a  man  to  guide  me 
to  Bangweolo.  He  said  that  I  was  welcome  to  his  country ;  all 
were  so:  I  had  better  wait  two  days  till  he  had  selected  a  good 
man  as  a  guide,  and  he  would  send  some  food  for  me  to  eat  in 
the  journe}' ;  he  would  not  say  ten  day.s,  but  only  two,  and  his 
man  would  take  me  to  the  smaller  part  of  the  Lake,  and  leave 
others  to  ft)rward  me  to  the  greater,  or  Bangweolo.  The  smaller 
part  is  named  Bemba ;  but  that  name  is  confusing,  because  Bem- 
ba  is  the  name  of  the  country  in  which  a  portion  of  the  Lake 
lies.  When  asking  for  Lake  Bemba,  Kasongo's  son  said  to  me, 
"Bemba  is  not  a  lake,  but  a  country:"  it  is,  therefore,  better  to 
use  the  name  Bangweolo,  which  is  applied  to  the  great  mass  of 
the  water,  though  I  fear  that  our  Engli.sh  folks  will  boggle  at  it, 
or  call  it  Bungyhollow  !  Some  Arabs  say  Bambeolo,  as  easier 
of  pronunciation,  but  Bangweolo  is  the  correct  word.  Chikum- 
bi's  stockade  is  one  hour  and  a  half  south -cast  of  our  camp  at 
Kizinga. 

Jul//  2d.  —  Writing  to  the  consul  at  Zanzibar  to  send  sup- 
plies of  cloth  to  Ujiji  —  one  hundred  and  twenty  pieces,  forty 

*  The  allusion  is  to  Mrs.  Livingstone's  grave. 

t  At  one  season  the  lung  grass  which  covers  the  face  of  the  country  catches  fire. 
For  some  three  montlis  the  air  is  conseiiiiently  filled  with  smolie. — Ei). 


CHIKUMBI  SENDS  A  PRESENT. 


247 


kiniki;  eignty  merikano  thirty -four  inches  broad,  or  samsam. 
!  Fine  red  beads — Talaka,  twelve  frasilas.  I  ask  for  soap,  coffee, 
j  sugar,  candles,  sardines,  French  preserved  meats,  a  cheese  in  tin, 
'   "Nautical  Almanac"  for  1869  and  1870,  shoes  (two  or  four 

pairs),  ruled-  paper,  pencils,  sealing-wax,  ink,  powder,  flannel- 
j  serge,  twelve  frasila  beads,  six  of  Talaka;  added  three  F.  pale 
i  red,  three  W.  white. 

i  Juhj  3d. — The  summary  of  the  sources  which  I  have  resolved 
to  report  as  flowing  into  the  central  line  of  drainage  formed  by 
the  Chatnbeze,  Luapula,  and  Lualaba  are  thirteen  in  all,  and  each 
is  larger  than  the  Isis  at  Oxford,  or  Avon  at  Hamilton.  Five 
flow  into  the  eastern  line  of  drainage,  going  through  Tanganyika, 
and  five  more  into  the  western  line  of  drainage  or  Lufira — twen- 
ty-three or  more  in  all.  The  Lualaba  and  the  Lufira  unite  in  the 
Lake  of  the  chief  Kinkonza. 

Jidi/  5th. — I  borrowed  some  paper  from  Mohamad  Bogharib, 
to  write  home  by  some  Arabs  going  to  the  coast.  I  will  an- 
nounce my  discovery  to  Lord  Clarendon,  but  I  reserve  the  parts 
of  the  Lualaba  and  Tanganyika  for  future  confirmation.  I  have 
no  doubts  on  the  subject,  for  I  receive  the  reports  of  natives  of 
intelligence  at  first  hand,  and  they  have  no  motive  for  deceiving 
ine.  The  best  maps  are  formed  from  the  same  sort  of  reports  at 
third  or  fourth  hand.    Cold  north-east  winds  prevail  at  present. 

Juli/  6lh. — Divided  our  salt,  that  each  may  buy  provisions  for 
liimself :  it  is  here  of  more  value  than  beads.  Chikumbi  sent 
line  flour,  a  load  for  two  stout  men,  carried  in  a  large  basket 
slung  to  a  pole,  and  a  fine  fat  sheep,  carried  too  because  it  was 
,  too  fat  to  walk  the  distance  from  his  stockade. 

July  7lh,  8th,  9th. — After  delaying  several  days  to  send  our 
nide,  Chikumbi  said'that  he  feared  the  country  people  would 
say  that  the  Inglcza  brought  the  Mazitu  to  them,  and  so  blame 
will  be  given  to  him.  I  set  this  down  as  "  words  of  pombe," 
beery  babble ;  but  after  returning  from  Bangweolo,  I  saw  that  he 
must  have  been  preparing  to  attack  a  stockade  of  Banyamwczi 
in  our  path ;  and  had  he  given  us  a  guide,  that  man  would  have 
I  been  in  danger  in  coming  back :  he  therefore  preferred  the  safety 
of  his  man  to  keeping  his  promise  to  me.  I  got  a  BanN'amwezi 
guide,  and  left  on  the  10th  of  July,  going  over  gently  rising  sand- 
I  stone  hills  covered  with  forest,  and  seeing  many  deserted  villages, 
the  efiects  of  the  Mnzitu  foray  :  \vc  saw  also  the  Mazitu  sleeping- 
places  and  paths.  Tiiey  neglect  the  common  paths  of  the  coun- 
I  try  as  going  from  one  village  to  another,  and  take  straight  courses 
in  the  direction  they  wish  to  go,  treading  down  the  grass  so  as  to 

17 


i 


•248 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JODRNALS. 


make  a  well-marked  route.  The  Banyamwezi  expelled  them,  cut- 1 
ting  off  so  many  of  them  with  their  guns  and  arrows  that  the 
marauders  retired.  The  effect  of  this  success  on  the  minds  of 
the  Imboshwa,  or  Imbozhwas,  as  Chikumbi's  people  are  called, 
was  not  gratitude,  but  envy  at  the  new  power  sprung  up  among 
them  of  those  who  came  originally  as  traders  in  copper. 

Kombokombo's  stockade,  the  village  to  which  we  went  this 
day,  was  the  first  object  of  assault,  and  when  we  returned  he 
told  us  that  Chikumbi  had  assaulted  him  on  three  sides,  but  was 
repulsed.  The  Banyamwezi  were,  moreover,  much  too  sharp  as 
traders  for  the  Imboshwa,  cheating  them  unmercifully,  and  lying 
like  Greeks,  Kombokombo's  stockade  was  on  the  Chib^rase  Elv- 
er, which  flows  briskly,  eight  yards  broad,  and  deep,  through  a 
mile  of  sponge.  We  came  in  the  midst  of  a*  general  jollification, 
and  were  most  bountifully  supplied  with  pombe  and  food.  The 
Banynmwezi  acknowledge  allegiance  to  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar, 
and  all  connected  with  him  are  respected.  Kombokombo  press- 
ed food  and  drink  on  me,  and  when  I  told  him  that  I  had  noth- 
ing to  return  for  it,  he  said  that  he  expected  nothing:  he  was  a 
child  of  the  Sultan,  and  ought  to  furnish  all  I  needed. 

July  11th. — On  leaving  the  Chibdras6,  we  passed  up  over  a 
long  line  of  hills  with  many  villages  and  gardens,  but  mostly 
deserted  during  the  Mazitu  raid.  The  people  fled  into  the  forests 
on  the  hills,  and  were  an  easy  prey  to  the  marauders,  who  seem 
to  have  been  unmerciful.  Wben  we  descended  into  the  valley 
beyond  we  came  to  a  strong  stockade,  which  had  successfully  re- 
sisted the  onset  of  the  Mazitu ;  we  then  entered  on  flat  forest, 
with  here  and  there  sponges  containing  plenty  of  water;  plains 
succeeded  the  hills,  and  continued  all  the  way  to  Bangweolo. 
We  made  a  fence  in  the  forest;  and  next 'day,  July  12th,  reach- 
ed the  Rofuba,  fifty  yards  broad  and  four  and  a  half  feet  deep, 
full  of  aquatic  plants,  and  flowing  south-west  into  the  Luongo:  it 
had  about  a  mile  and  a  half  of  sponge  on  each  side  of  it.  We  en- 
camped a  little  south  of  the  river. 

July  13th. — On  resting  at  a  deserted  spot,  the  men  of  a  village 
in  the  vicinity  came  to  us  excited  and  apparently  drunk,  and  be- 
gan to  work  themselves  up  still  more  by  running  about,  poising 
their  spears  at  us,  taking  aim  with  their  bows  and  arrows,  and 
making  as  if  about  to  strike  with  their  axes:  they  thought  tliat 
we  were  marauders,  and  some  plants  of  ground-nuts  strewn  about 
gave  color  to  the  idea.  There  is  usually  one  good  soul  in  such 
rabbles.  In  this  case  a  man  came  to  me,  and,  addressing  his  fel- 
lows, said,  "This  is  only  your  pombe. — White  man,  do  not  stand 


"SPEAKING  NICE." 


249 


among  them,  but  go  away ;"  and  then  be  placed  biraself  between 
rae  and  a  portion  of  the  assailants,  about  thirty  of  whom  were 
making  their  warlike  antics.    While  walking  quietly  away  with 

I'  my  good  friend,  they  ran  in  front  and  behind  bushes  and  trees, 
took  aim  with  bow  and  arrow,  but  none  shot :  the  younger  men 
ran  away  with  our  three  goats.  "When  we  had  gone  a  quarter 
of  a  mile,  ray  friend  told  me  to  wait  and  he  would  bring  the 
goats,  which  he  did :  I  could  not  feel  the  inebriates  to  be  ene- 
mies ;  but  in  that  state  they  are  the  worst  one  can  encounter,  for 
they  have  no  fear  as  they  have  when  sober.  One  snatched  away 
a  fowl  from  our  guide ;  that,  too,  was  restored  by  our  friend.  I 
did  not  load  my  gun,  for  any  accidental  discharge  would  have  in- 
flamed them  to  rashness.  AVe  got  away  without  shedding  blood, 
and  were  thankful.  The  Mazitu  raid  has  produced  lawlessness 
in  the  country :  every  one  was  taken  as  an  enemy. 

.       July  lith. — We  remained  a  day  at  the  stockade  of  Moieggea. 

f  A  Banyamwezi  or  Garaganza  man  is  settled  here  in  Kabaia's  dis- 
trict, and  on  the  strong  rivulet  called  Mato.  We  felt  secure  only 
among  the  strangers,  and  they  were  friendly  with  us. 

Julij  loth. — At  the  village  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Mpanda 
we  were  taken  by  the  head  man  as  Mazitu.  He  was  evidently 
intoxicated,  and  began  to  shut  his  gates  with  frantic  gesticula- 
tions. I  offered  to  go  away;  but  others  of  his  people,  equally 
intoxicated,  insisted  on  my  remaining.  I  sat  down  a  little;  but 
seeing  that  the  chief  was  still  alarmed,  I  said  to  his  people,  "  The 
chief  objects,  and  I  can't  stay :"  they  saw  the  reasonableness  of 
this,  but  I  could  not  get  my  cowardly  attendants  to  come  on, 
though  one  said  to  me,  '■  Come,  I  shall  show  you  the  way :  we 
must  speak  nice  to  them."  This  the  wise  boys  think  the  perfec- 
I   tion  of  virtue.    Speaking  nice  means  adopting  a  childish  treble 

I  tone  of  voice,  and  words  exactly  similar  to  those  of  the  little 
U   Scotch  girl  who,  passing  through  a  meadow,  was  approached  by 

I I  a  cow,  probably  from  curiosity.  To  appease  this  enemy,  she  said, 
I  "Oh,  coo,  coo,  if  you  no  hurt  nic,  I  no  hurt  you."  I  told  them 
I  to  come  on  and  leave  them  quietly,  but  they  remained  babbling 
i  with  them.  The  guide  said  that  there  was  no  water  in  front: 
I    this  I  have  been  told  too  often  ever  to  believe,  so  I  went  on 

through  the  forest,  and  in  an  hour  and  a  half  came  to  a  sponge 

k where,  being  joined  by  my  attendants,  we  passed  the  night. 
I      Juli/  16th. — Crossing  this  sponge,  and  passing  through  flat  for- 
"^t,  we  came  to  another  named  Mcshw(1,  when  there,  as  a  con- 
rast,  the  young  men  volunteered  to  carry  me  across;  but  I  had 
got  off  my  shoes  and  was  in  the  water,  and  they  came  along  with 


250 


LiriNGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


me,  showing  the  shallower  parts.  We  finished  the  day's  march 
by  crossing  the  Molongosi  spongy  ooze,  with  one  hundred  and 
fifty  paces  of  deep  water  flowing  north-east.  The  water  in  these 
oozes,  or  sponges,  felt  very  cold,  though  only  60°  in  the  morn- 
ings, and  65°  at  midday.  The  Molongosi  people  invited  us  into 
the  village;  but  the  forest,  unless  when  infested  with  leopards 
and  lions,  is  always  preferable,  for  one  is  free  from  vermin,  and 
free  from  curiosity-gazers,  who  in  the  village  think  they  have  a 
right  to  stare,  but  in  the  forest  feel  that  they  are  not  on  an  equal- 
ity with  strangers. 

[It  was  on  the  18th  of  July,  1868,  we  see  that  Dr.  Livingstone 
discovered  one  of  the  largest  of  the  Central  African  lakes.  It  is 
extraordinary  to  notice  the  total  absence  of  alj  pride  and  enthusi- 
asm, as — almost  parenthetically — he  records  the  fact.] 

July  nth,  18th. — Reached  the  chief  village  of  Mapuni,  near  the 
north  bank  of  Bangweolo.  On  the  18th  I  walked  a  little  way 
out,  and  saw  the  shores  of  the  Lake  for  the  first  time,  thankful 
that  I  had  come  safely  hither. 

I  told  the  chief  that  my  goods  were  all  expende'd,  and  gave 
him  a  fathom  of  calico  as  all  I  could  spare:  I  told  him  that  as 
soon  as  I  had  seen  and  measured  the  Lake  I  would  return  north. 
He  replied  that,  seeing  our  goods  were  done,  he  could  say  noth- 
ing; he  would  give  me  guides,  and  what  else  he  should  do  was 
known  to  himself  He  gave  a  public  reception  at  once.  I  asked 
if  he  had  ever  seen  any  one  like  me,  and  he  said,  "Never."  A 
Babisa  traveler  asked  me  why  I  had  come  so  fiir :  I  said  I  wish- 
ed to  make  the  country  and  people  better  known  to  the  rest 
of  the  world ;  that  we  were  all  children  of  one  Father,  and  I 
was  anxious  that  we  should  know  each  other  better,  and  that 
friendly  visits  should  be  made  in  safety.  I  told  him  what  the 
queen  had  done  to  encourage  the  growth  of  cotton  on  the  Zam- 
besi, and  how  we  had  been  thwarted  by  slave-traders  and  their 
abettors:  they  were  pleased  with  this.  When  asked,  I  showed 
them  my  note-book,  watch,  compass,  burning-glass,  and  was  loud- 
ly drummed  home. 

I  showed  them  the  Bible,  and  told  them  a  little  of  its  contents. 
I  shall  require  a  few  days  more  at  Bangweolo  than  I  at  first  in- 
tended. The  moon,  being  in  its  last  stage  of  waning,  I  can  not 
observe  till  it  is  of  some  size. 

Jul)/  19//;. — Went  down  to  Masantu's  village,  which  is  on  the 
.shore  of  the  Lake,  and  by  a  spring  called  Chipoka,  which  comes 
out  of  a  mass  of  disintegrated  granite.    It  is  seldom  that  we  see 


DESCRIPTION  OF  LAKE  BANGWEOLO. 


251 


,1  spring  welling  out  beneath  a  rock :  they  are  covered  by  oozing 
epotiges,  if  indeed  they  exist.  Here  we  had  as  a  spectator  a  man 
wallcing  on  stilts  tied  to  his  ankles  and  knees.  There  are  a  great 
many  Babisa  among  the  people.  The  women  have  their  hair 
ornamented  with  strings  of  cowries,  and  well  oiled  with  the  oil 
and  fat  from  the  seeds'of  the  mosikisi-trees.  I  sent  the  chief  a 
fathom  of  calico,  and  got  an  audience  at  once.  Masantu  is  an 
oldish  man  ;  had  never  prayed  to  the  Great  Father  of  all,  though 
he  said  the  footsteps  of  "Mungu,"  or  Mulungu,  could  be  seen  on 
a  part  of  Lifunge  Island :  a  large  footstep  may  also  be  seen  on  the 
rock  at  the  Chambez^,  about  fifteen  inches  long.  He  informed 
us  that  the  Lake  is  much  the  largest  at  the  part  called  Bangweolo. 

The  country  around  the  Lake  is  all  flat,  and  very  much  de- 
nuded of  trees,  except  the  motsikiri,  or  mosikisi,  which  has  fine 
dark,  dense  foliage,  and  is  spared  for  its  shade  and  the  fatty  oil 
yielded  by  its  seeds:  we  saw  the  people  boiling  large  potfuls  of 
the  dark  brown  fot,  which  they  use  to  lubricate  their  hair.  The 
islands,  four  in  number,  are  all  flat,  but  well  peopled.  The  men 
have  many  canoes,  and  are  all  expert  fishermen  ;  they  are  called 
Mboghwa,  but  are  marked  on  the  forehead  and  chin  as  Babisa, 
and  file  the  teeth  to  points.  They  have  many  children,  as  fisher- 
men usually  have. 

July  21.sl — Canoe-men' are  usually  extortionate,  because  one 
can  not  do  without  them.  Mapuni  claims  authority  over  them, 
and  sent  to  demand  another  fathom,  that  he  may  give  orders  to 
them  to  go  with  us.  I  gave  a  hoe  and  a  string  of  beads  instead, 
but  he  insisted  on  the  cloth,  and  kept  the  hoe  too,  as  I  could  not 
afford  the  time  to  haggle. 

Chipoka  spring  water  at  9  A.M.,  75°  )  ^^j^, 

Lake  water  at  same  time,  71°  j  '  ' 

Chipoka  spring  at  4  p.m.,  74°  5'  )  ■  r,^o  r'  i.  u  tao 
T  li^  M-o     >  air,  71  5  ,  wet  bulb,  70  . 

Lake  water  at  same  time,  /o  ) 

No  hot  fountains  or  earthquakes  are  known  in  this  region. 
The  bottom  of  the  Lake  consists  of  fine  white  sand,  and  a  broad 
belt  of  strong  rushes,  say  one  hundred  yards  wide,  shows  shallow 
water.  In  the  afternoons  quite  a  crowd  of  canoes  anchor  at  its 
outer  edge  to  angle:  the  hooks  are  like  ours,  but  without  barbs. 
The  fish  are  perch  chiefly,  but  others  similar  to  tho.se  that  appear 
in  the  other  lakes  are  found,  and  two  which  attain  the  large  size 
of  four  feet  by  one  and  a  half  in  thickness  :  one  is  called  sampa. 

Jubj  22d. — A  very  high  wind  came  with  the  new  moon,  and 
prevented  our  going,  and  also  the  fishermen  from  following  their 


252 


LiriNGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Ccalling.  Mapuni  thought  that  we  meant  to  make  an  escape  from 
him  to  the  Babisa  on  the  south,  because  we  were  taking  our 
goats;  I  therefore  left  them  and  two  attendants  at  Masantu's 
village  to  assure  him. 

July  23d. — Wind  still  too  strong  to  go.    Took  lunars. 

July  24:(h.—W\nd  still  strong. 

July  2oth. — Strong  south-east  wind  still  blowing;  but  having 
paid  the  canoe-men  amply  for  four  days  with  beads,  and  given 
Masantu  a  hoe  and  beads  too,  we  embarked  at  11.40  A.M.  in  a 
fine  canoe,  forty-five  feet  long,  four  feet  deep,  and  four  feet  broad. 
The  waves  were  high,  but  the  canoe  was  very  dry,  and  five  stout 
men  propelled  her  quickly  toward  an  opening  in  Lifunge  Island, 
on  our  south-east.  Here  we  stopped  to  wood,  and  I  went  away 
to  look  at  the  island,  which  had  the  marks  of  hippopotami  and  a 
species  of  jackal  on  it:  it  had  hard,  wiry  grass,  some  flowers, 
and  a  species  of  capparidaceous  tree.  The  trees  showed  well  the 
direction  of  the  prevailing  wind  to  be  south-east,  for  the  branch- 
es on  that  side  were  stunted  or  killed,  while  those  on  the  north- 
west ran  out  straight,  and  made  the  trees  appear,  as  sailors  say, 
lapsided;  the  trunks,  too,  were  bent  that  way. 

The  canoe-men  now  said  that  they  would  start;  then  that  they 
would  sleep  here,  because  we  could  not  reach  the  island  Mpabala 
before  dark,  and  would  not  get  a  hut.  I  said  that  it  would  be 
sleeping  out-of  doors  only  in  either  case,  so  they  went.  We  could 
see  the  island  called  Kisi  on  our  east,  apparently  a  double  island, 
about  fifteen  miles  off,  and  the  tops  of  the  trees  barely  visible  on 
Mpabala,  on  our  south-east.  It  was  all  sea  horizon  on  our  south 
and  north,  between  Lifung^  and  Mpabala,  and  between  Lifung^ 
and  Kisi.  We  could  not  go  to  Kisi,  because,  as  the  canoe-men 
told  us,  they  had  stolen  their  canoe  thence.  Though  we  decided 
to  go,  we  remained  a  while  to  let  the  sea  go  down.  A  hammer- 
head's nest  on  one  of  the  trees  was  fully  four  feet  high.  Coarse 
rushes  show  the  shoals  near  the  islands.  Only  one  shell  was  seen 
on  the  shores.  The  canoe  ships  much  less  water  in  this  surf  than 
our  boat  did  in  that  of  Nyassa.  The  water  is  of  a  deep  sea-green 
color,  probably  fi  oni  the  reflection  of  the  fine  white  sand  of  the 
bottom.  Wc  saw  no  part  having  the  deep  dark  blue  of  Nyassa, 
and  conjecture  that  the  depth  is  not  great;  but  I  had  to  leave 
our  line  when  Amoda  absconded.  On  Kisi  we  observed  a  dark 
square  mass,  which  at  first  I  took  to  be  a  low  hill :  it  turned  out 
to  be  a  mass  of  trees  (probably  the  place  of  sepulture,  for  the 
grave-yards  are  always  untouched),  and  shows  what  a  dense  for- 
est this  land  would  become  were  it  not  for  the  influence  of  men. 


CANOE-MEN  ALARMED. 


253 


"We  reached  Mpabala  after  dark.  It  was  bitterly  cold,  from 
the  amount  of  moisture  in  the  air.  I  asked  a  man  who  came  to 
see  what  the  arrival  was,  for  a  hut;  he  said,  "Do  strangers  re- 
quire huts,  or  ask  for  them  at  night?"  He  then  led  us  to  the 
public  place  of  meeting,  called  jSTsaka,  which  is  a  large  shed,  with 
planks  around  and  open  spaces  between,  instead  of  walls.  Here 
we  cooked  a  little  porridge,  and  ate  it;  then  I  lay  down  on  one 
side,  with  the  canoe -men  and  my  attendants  at  the  fire  in  the 
middle,  and  was  soon  asleep,  and  dreamed  that  I  had  apartments 
in  Mivart's  hotel.  This  made  me  feel  much  amused  next  day, 
for  I  never  dream  unless  I  am  ill,  or  going  to  be  ill ;  and  of  all 
places  in  the  world,  I  never  thought  of  Mivart's  hotel  in  my 
waking  moments:  a  freak  of  the  fancy  surely,  for  I  was  not  at 
all  discontented  with  my  fare,  or  apartment;  I  was  only  afraid  of 
getting  a  stock  of  vermin  from  my  associates. 

Jidij  26th. — I  have  to  stand  the  stare  of  a  crowd  of  people  at 
every  new  place  for  hours:  all  usually  talk  as  quickly  as  their 
glib  tongues  can :  these  certainly  do  not  belong  to  the  tribes  who 
are  supposed  to  eke  out  their  language  by  signs!  A  few  indulge 
their  curiosity  in  sight-seeing,  but  go  on  steadily  weaving  nets, 
or  beating  bark -cloth,  or  spinning  cotton;  others  smoke  their 
big  tobacco-pipes,  or  nurse  a  baby,  or  enjoy  the  heat  of  the  bright 
morning  sun.  I  walked  across  the  north  end  of  the  island,  and 
found  it  to  be  about  one  mile  broad;  I  also  took  bearings  of 
Chirubi  Island  from  the  eastern  point  of  Mpabala,  and  found  from 
the  .south-east  point  of  Chirubi  that  there  are  one  hundred  and 
eighty-three  degrees  of  sea  horizon  from  it  to  the  point  of  depart- 
ure of  the  Luapula.  Chirubi  is  the  largest  of  the  islands,  and 
contains  a  large  population,  possessing  many  sheep  and  goats. 
At  the  highest  part  of  Mpabala  we  could  see  the  tops  of  the  trees 
on  Kasango,  a  small,  uninhabited  islet,  about  thirty  miles  distant: 
the  tops  of  the  trees  were  cvidenly  lifted  up  by  the  mirage,  for 
near  the  shore  and  at  other  parts  they  were  invisible,  even  with 
a  good  glass.  This  uninhabited  islet  would  have  been  our  second 
stage  had  we  been  allowed  to  cross  the  Lake,  as  it  is  of  the  peo- 
ple themselves.  It  is  as  far  beyond  it  to  the  main-laud,  called 
Manda,  as  from  Masantu's  to  Mpabala. 

Jul;/  27t.h. — Took  lunars  and  stars  for  latitude. 

The  canoe-men  now  got  into  a  flurry,  because  they  were  told 
here  that  the  Kisi  men  had  got  an  inkling  that  their  canoe  was 
here,  and  were  coming  to  take  it;  they  said  to  mo  that  they 
■would  come  back  for  me,  but  I  could  not  trust  thieves  to  be  so 
honest.    I  thought  of  seizing  their  paddles,  and  appealing  to  the 


254 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


head  men  of  the  island ;  but  aware  from  past  experience  how 
easy  it  is  for  acknowledged  thieves  like  them  to  get  up  a  tale  to 
secure  the  cheap  sympathy  of  the  soft-headed  or  tender-hearted, 
I  resolved  to  bear  with  meekness,  though  groaning  inwardly,  the 
loss  of  two  of  the  four  days  for  which  I  had  paid  them.  I  had 
only  my  coverlet  to  hire  another  canoe,  and  it  was  now  very 
cold ;  the  few  beads  left  would  all  be  required  to  buy  food  on 
the  way  back.  I  might  have  got  food  by  shooting  buffiiloes,  but 
that  on  foot,  and  through  grass  with  stalks  as  thick  as  a  goose- 
quill,  is  dreadfully  hard  work;  I  had  thus  to  return  to  Masantu's, 
and  trust  to  the  distances  as  deduced  from  the  time  taken  by  the 
natives  in  their  canoes  for  the  size  of  the  Lake. 

We  had  come  to  Mpabala  at  the  rate  of  si^  knots  an  hour,  and 
returned  in  the  same  time  with  six  stout  paddlers.  The  latitude 
was  12'  in  a  south-east  course,  which  may  give  2-i'  as  the  actual 
distance.  To  the  sleeping-place,  the  islet  Kasaugo,  there  was  at 
least  28'  more,  and  from  thence  to  the  main-land  "Manda,"  other 
28'.  This  24-f  28 -f  28  =  80'  as  the  breadth  from  Masantu  vil- 
lage, looking  south-east.  It  lies  in  11°  0'  S.  If  we  add  on  the 
half  distance  to  this,  we  have  11°  40'  as  the  latitude  of  ^landa. 
The  main-land  to  the  south  of  Mpabala  is  called  Kabende.  The 
land's  end  running  south  of  Masantu's  village  is  the  entrance  to 
the  Luapula:  the  clearest  eye  can  not  see  across  it  there.  I  saw 
clouds  ns  if  of  grass  burning,  but  they  were  probably  "kungu," 
an  edible  insect,  whose  masses  have  exactly  the  same  appearance 
as  they  float  above  and  on  the  water.  From  the  time  the  canoos 
take  to  go  to  Kabende,  I  believe  the  southern  shore  to  be  a  lit- 
tle into  12°  of  south  latitude:  the  length,  as  inferred  from  canoes 
taking  ten  days  to  go  from  Mpabala  to  the  Chambeze,  I  take  to 
be  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  probably  more.  No  one  gave  a 
shorter  time  than  that.  The  Luapula  is  an  arm  of  the  Lake  for 
some  twenty  miles,  and  beyond  that  is  never  narrower  than  from 
one  hundred  and  eighty  to  two  hundred  yards,  generally  much 
broader,  and  may  be  compared  with  the  Thames  at  London 
Bridge :  I  think  that  I  am  considerably  within  the  mark  in  set- 
ting down  Bangweolo  as  one  liundred  and  fifty  miles  long  by 
eighty  broad. 

When  told  that  it  contained  four  lar^e  islands,  I  imagined  that 
these  would  considerably  diminish  the  watery  acreage  of  the  whole, 
as  is  saicj  to  be  the  case  with  five  islands  in  Ukerewt5;  but  even  ! 
the  largest  island,  Chirubi,  does  not  in  the  least  dwarf  the  enor- 
mous mass  of  the  water  of  Bangweolo.  A  range  of  mountains, 
named  Lokinga^  extends  from  the  south-east  to  the  south-west: 


EXAMINATION  OF  A  TSETSE  FLY. 


255 


some  small  burns  come  down  from  them,  but  no  river.  This 
range  joins  the  Kone,  or  Mokone  range,  west  of  Katanga,  from 
which  on  one  side  rises  the  Lufira,  and  on  the  other  the  Liambai, 
or  Zambesi.  The  river  of  Manda,  called  Matanga,  is  only  a  de- 
parting and  re-entering  branch  of  the  Lake,  also  the  Luma  and 
Loela  rivers — some  thirty  yards  broad — have  each  to  be  exam- 
ined as  springs  on  the  south  of  the  Lake. 

Julij  2%th.  —  Not  a  single  case  of  Derbyshire  neck,  or  of  ele- 
phantiasis,  was  observed  anywhere  near  the  Lake,  consequently 
the  report  we  had  of  its  extreme  unhealthiness  was  erroneous: 
no  muddy  banks  did  we  see,  but  in  the  way  to  it  we  had  to  cross 
so  many  sponges,  or  oozes,  that  the  word  matoj^e  (mud)  was  quite 
applicable ;  and  I  suspect,  if  we  had  come  earlier,  that  we  should 
have  experienced  great  difficulty  in  getting  to  the  Lake  at  all. 

Jul)/  SO(h. — We  commenced  our  march  back,  being  eager  to 
wet  to  Chikumbi's  in  case  Mohamad  should  go  thence  to  Katanga. 
We  touched  at  Mapuni's,  and  then  went  on  to  the  Molongosi. 
Clouds  now  began  to  cover  the  sky  to  the  Mpanda,  which  has 
fifteen  yards  of  flood,  though  the  stream  itself  is  only  five  yards 
wide ;  then  on  to  the  Mato  and  Moiegge's  stockade,  where  we 
heard  of  Chikumbi's  attack  on  Kombokombo's.  Moi^gge  had 
taken  the  hint,  and  was  finishing  a  second  line  of  defense  around 
his  village:  we  reached  him  on  the  1st  of  August,  1868,  and 
stopped  for  Sunday,  the  2d  :  on  the  3d,  back  to  the  Rofubu,  where 
I  was  fortunate  enough  to  hire  a  canoe  to  take  me  over. 

It  examining  a  tsetse  fly  very  carefully,  I  see  that  it  has  a  re- 
ceptacle at  the  root  of  the  piercer,  which  is  of  a  black  or  dark-red 
color;  and  when  it  is  squeezed,  a  clear  fluid  is  pressed  out  at  its 
point:  the  other  two  parts  of  the  proboscis  are  its  shield,  and 
have  no  bulb  at  the  base.  The  bulb  was  pronounced  at  the  Roy- 
al Society  to  be  only  muscle,  but  it  is  curious  that  muscle  should 
be  furnished  where  none  is  needed,  and  withheld  in  the  movable 
parts  of  the  shield,  where  it  is  decidedly  needed. 

August  5ih,  1868. — Reach  Kombokombo,  who  is  very  liberal, 
and  {)rcssed  us  to  stay  a  day  with  him  as  well  as  with  others; 
we  complied,  and  found  that  ^Mohamad  had  gone  nowlicrc. 

August  7th. — We  found  a  party  starting  from  Kizinga  for  the 
coast,  having  our  letters  with  them:  it  will  take  five  months  to 
reach  the  sea.  The  disturbed  state  of  the  country  prevented 
parties  of  traders  proceeding  in  various  directions,  and  one  that 
set  off  on  the  same  day  with  us  was  obliged  to  return.  Mohamad 
has  resolved  to  go  to  Manyucma  as  soon  as  parties  of  his  men 
now  out  return:  this  is  ail  in  my  favor;  it  is  in  the  way  I  want 


256 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


to  go  to  see  the  Lualaba  and  Lufira  to  Chowambd  The  way 
seems  opening  out  before  me,  and  I  am  thankful.  I  resolved  to 
go  north  by  way  of  Casembe,  and  guides  were  ready  to  start,  so 
was  I ;  but  rumors  of  war  where  we  were  going  induced  me  to 
halt  to  find  out  the  truth :  the  guides  (Banyamwezi)  were  going 
to  divine,  by  means  of  a  cock,  to  see  if  it  would  be  lucky  to  go 
with  me  at  present.  The  rumors  of  danger  became  so  circumstan- 
tial that  our  fence  was  needed :  a  well  was  dug  inside,  and  the 
Banyamwezi  were  employed  to  smelt  copper  as  for  the  market  of 
Manyuema,  and  balls  for  war.  Syde  bin  Omar  soon  came  over 
the  Luapula  from  Iraraba,  and  the  state  of  confusion  induced  the 
traders  to  agree  to  unite  their  forces  and  make  a  safe  retreat  out 
of  the  country.  They  objected  very  strongly  to  my  going  away 
down  the  right  bank  of  the  Luapula  with  my  small  party,  though 
it  was  in  sight ;  so  I  resolved  to  remain  till  all  went. 

August  13th. — The  Banyamwezi  use  a  hammer  shaped  like  a 
cone,  without  a  handle.  The}'-  have  both  kinds  of  bellows,  one 
of  goat-skin  the  other  of  wood,  with  a  skin  over  the  mouth  of  a 
drum,  and  a  handle  tied  to  the  middle  of  it;  with  these  they 
smelt  pieces  of  the  large  bars  of  copper  into  a  pot,  filled  nearly 
full  of  wood  ashes.  The  fire  is  surrounded  by  masses  of  ant- 
hills, and  in  these  there  are  hollows  made  to  receive  the  melted 
metal :  the  metal  is  poured  while  the  pot  is  held  with  the  hands, 
protected  by  wet  rags. 

August  loth.  —  Bin  Omar,  a  Suaheli,  came  from  Muaboso,  on 
Chambeze,  in  six  da3's,  crossing  in  that  space  twenty-two  burns, 
or  oozes,  from  knee  to  waist  deep. 

Very  high  and  cold  winds  prevail  at  present.  It  was  proposed 
to  punish  Chikumbi  when  Syde  bin  Omar  came,  as  he  is  in  debt, 
and  refuses  payment ;  but  I  go  off  to  Casembe. 

I  learn  that  there  is  another  hot  fountain  in  the  Baloba  coun- 
try, called  Fungwe;  this,  with  Kapira  and  Vana,  makes  three 
hot  fountains  in  this  region. 

.  Some  people  were  killed  in  my  path  to  Casembe,  so  this  was 
an  additional  argument  against  my  going  that  way. 

Some  Banyamwezi  report  a  tribe — the  Bonyolo — that  extract 
the  upper  front  teeth,  like  Batoka;  they  are  near  Loanda,  and 
Lake  Chipokola  is  there,  probably  the  same  as  Kinkonza.  Feel- 
ing my  way.  All  the  trees  are  now  pushing  out  fresh  young 
leaves  of  different  colors:  winds,  south-east;  clouds  of  upper 
stratum,  north-west. 

August  2dth. — Kaskas  began  to-day  hot  and  sultry.  This  will 
continue  till  rains  fall,     liumors  of  wars  perpetual  and  near; 


BAIN- FALL  IN  AFRICA. 


257 


and  one  circumstantial  account  of  an  attack  made  by  the  Bause. 
That  again  contradicted. 

August  Blst. — Rain  began  here  this  evening,  quite  remarkable 
and  exceptional,  as  it  precedes  the  rains  generally  oflf  the  water- 
shed by  two  months  at  least:  it  was  a  thunder-shower,  and  it 
and  another  on  the  evening  of  the  second  were  quite  partial. 

[As  we  shall  see,  he  takes  advantage  of  his  late  experience  to 
work  out  an  elaborate  treatise  on  the  climate  of  this  region,  which 
is  exceedingly  important,  bearing,  as  it  does,  upon  the  question 
of  the  periodical  floods  on  the  rivers  which  drain  the  enormous 
cistern-lakes  of  Central  Africa.] 

The  notion  of  a  rainy  zone,  in  which  the  clouds  deposit  their 
treasures  in  perpetual  showers,  has  received  no  confirmation  from 
ray  observations.  In  1866-'67,  the  rain-fall  was  forty-two  inches. 
In  1867-68,  it  amounted  to  fifty-three  inches:  this  is  nearly  the 
same  as  falls  in  the  same  latitudes  on  the  West  Coast.  In  both 
years  the  rains  ceased  entirely  in  May,  and  with  the  exception  of 
two  partial  thunder-showers  on  the  middle  of  the  water-shed,  no 
rain  fell  till  the  middle  and  end  of  October,  and  then,  even  in 
November,  it  was  partial,  and  limited  to  small  patches  of  coun- 
try ;  but  scarcely  a  day  passed  between  October  and  May  with- 
out a  good  deal  of  thunder.  When  the  thunder  began  to  roll 
or  rumble,  that  was  taken  by  the  natives  as  an  indication  of  the 
near  cessation  of  the  rains.  The  middle  of  the  water-shed  is  the 
most  humid  part:  one  sees  the  great  humidity  of  its  climate  at 
once  in  the  trees,  old  and  young,  being  thickly  covered  with 
lichens ;  some  flat,  on  the  trunks  and  branches ;  others  long  and 
thready,  like  the  beards  of  old  men  waving  in  the  wind.  Large 
orchids  on  the  trees  in  conij)any  with  the  profusion  of  licliens 
are  seen  nowhere  else,  except  in  the  mangrove  swamps  of  the 
sea-coast. 

1  can  not  account  for  the  great  humidity  of  the  water-shed  as 
compared  with  the  rest  of  the  country,  but  by  the  prevailing 
winds  and  the  rains  being  from  the  south-east,  and  thus  from  the 
Indian  Ocean.  With  this  wind  generally  on  the  surface  one  can 
observe  an  upper  strong  wind  from  the  north-west;  that  is,  from 
the  low  humid  West  Coast  and  Atlantic  Ocean.  Tlic  double 
strata  of  winds  can  easily  be  observed  when  there  are  two  sheets 
of  clouds,  or  when  burning  grass  over  scores  of  square  miles 
sends  up  smoke  sufliciently  high  to  be  caught  by  the  upper  or 
north-west  wind.  These  winds  probably  meet  during  the  heavy 
rains:  now  in  August  they  overlap  each  other.    The  probability 


258 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUBXALS. 


arises  from  all  continued  rains  within  the  tropics  coming  in  the 
opposite  direction  from  the  prevailing  wind  of  the  year.  Partial 
rains  are  usually  from  the  south-east. 

The  direction  of  the  prevailing  wind  of  this  region  is  well 
marked  on  the  islands  in  Lake  Bangweolo :  the  trunks  are  bent 
away  from  the  south-east,  and  the  branches  on  that  side  are 
stunted  or  killed  ;  while  those  on  the  north-west  run  out  straight, 
and  make  the  trees  appear  lapsided.  The  same  bend  away  from 
the  south-east  is  seen  on  all  exposed  situations,  as  in  the  trees 
covering  the  brow  of  a  hill.  At  Kizinga,  which  is  higher  than 
the  Lake,  the  trees  are  covered  with  lichens,  chiefly  on  the  south- 
east sides,  and  on  the  upper  surfaces  of  branches  running  away 
horizontally  to  or  from  "the  north-west.  Plants  and  trees,  which 
elsewhere  in  Africa  grow  only  on  the  banks* of  streams  and  oth- 
er damp  localities,  are  seen  flourishing  all  over  the  country:  the 
very  rocks  are  covered  with  lichens,  and  their  crevices  with 
ferns. 

But  that  which  demonstrates  the  humidity  of  the  climate  most 
strikingly  is  the  number  of  earthen  sponges,  or  oozes,  met  with. 
In  going  to  Bangweolo  from  Kizinga,  I  crossed  twenty-nine  of 
these  reservoirs  in  thirty  miles  of  latitude,  on  a  south-east  course: 
this  may  give  about  one  sponge  for  every  two  miles.  The  word 
"bog"  conveys  much  of  the  idea  of  these  earthen  sponges;  but 
it  is  inseparably  connected  in  our  minds  with  peat,  and  these 
contain  not  a  particle  of  peat :  they  consist  of  black,  porous  earth, 
covered  with  a  hard,  wiry  grass,  and  a  few  other  damp-loving 
plants.  In  many  places  the  sponges  hold  large  quantities  of  the 
oxide  of  iron,  from  the  big  patches  of  brown  hematite  that  crop 
out  everywhere,  and  streams  of  this  oxide,  as  thick  as  treacle, 
are  seen  moving  slowly  along  in  the  sponge-like,  small  red  gla- 
ciers. When  one  treads  on  the  black  earth  of  the  sponge,  though 
little  or  no  water  appears  on  the  surface,  it  is  frequently  squirted 
up  the  limbs,  and  gives  the  idea  of  a  sponge.  In  the  paths  that 
cross  them  the  earth  readily  becomes  soft  mud,  but  sinks  rapidly 
to  the  bottom  again,  as  if  of  great  specific  gravity  :  the  water  in 
them  is  always  circulating  and  oozing.  The  places  where  the 
sponges  are  met  with  are  slightly  depressed  valleys,  without 
trees  or  bushes,  in  a  forest  country  where  the  grass  being  only  a 
foot  or  fifteen  inches  high,  and  thicklj'-  planted,  often  looks  like 
a  beautiful  glade  in  a  gentleman's  park  in  England.  They  are 
from  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  a  mile  broad,  and  from  two  to  ten  or 
more  miles  long.  Tlie  water  of  the  heavy  rains  soaks  into  the 
level  forest-lands:  one  never  sees  runnels  leading  it  off,  unless 


THE  SPONGE  MINUTELY  DESCRIBED. 


259 


occasionally  a  footpath  is  turned  to  that  use.  The  water,  de- 
scending about  eight  feet,  comes  to  a  stratum  of  yellow  sand, 
beneath  which  there  is  another  stratum  of  fine  white  sand, 
which  at  its  bottom  cakes,  so  as  to  hold  the  water  from  sinking 
farther. 

It  is  exactly  the  same  as  we  found  in  the  Kalahari  Desert,  in 
digging  sucking-places  for  water  for  our  oxen.  The  water,  both 
here  and  there,  is  guided  by  the  fine  sand  stratum  into  the  near- 
est valley,  and  here  it  oozes  forth  on  all  sides  through  the  thick 
mantle  of  black  porous  earth  which  forms  the  sponge.  There,  in 
the  desert,  it  appears  to  damp  the  surface  sands  in  certain  val- 
leys, and  the  Bushmen,  by  a  peculiar  process,  suck  out  a  supply. 
When  we  had  dug  down  to  the  caked  sand  there  years  ago,  the 
people  begged  us  not  to  dig  farther,  as  the  water  would  all  run 
away ;  and  we  desisted,  because  we  saw  that  the  fluid  poured  in 
from  the  fine  sand  all  round  the  well,  but  none  came  from  the 
bottom  or  cake.  Two  stupid  Englishmen  afterward  broke  through 
the  cake  in  spite  of  the  entreaties  of  the  natives,  and  the  well  and 
the  whole  valley  dried  up  hopelessly.  Here  the  water,  oozing 
forth  from  the  surface  of  the  sponge  mantle,  collects  in  the  centre 
of  the  slightly  depressed  valley  which  it  occupies,  and  near  the 
head  of  the  depression  forms  a  sluggish  stream  ;  but  farther  down, 
as  it  meets  with  more  slope,  it  works  out  for  itself  a  deeper  chan- 
nel, with  perpendicular  banks,  with,  say,  a  hundred  or  more 
yards  of  sponge  on  each  side,  constantly  oozing  forth  fresh  sup- 
plies to  augment  its  size.  When  it  reaches  rocky  ground  it  is  a 
perennial  burn,  with  many  aquatic  plants  growing  in  its  bottom. 
One  peculiarity  would  strike  any  one — the  water  never  becomes 
discolored  or  muddy.  I  have  seen  only  one  stream  muddied  in 
flood,  the  Choma,  flowing  through  an  alluvial  plain  in  Loperd. 
Anotlier  peculiarity  is  very  remarkable;  it  is,  that  after  the  rains 
have  entirely  ceased,  these  burns  have  their  largest  flow,  and  cause 
inundations.  It  looks  as  if  toward  the  end  of  the  rainy  season 
the  sponges  were  lifted  up  by  the  water  off  their  beds,  and  the 
pores  and  holes,  being  enlarged,  are  all  employed  to  give  off  fluid. 
The  waters  of  inundation  run  awa}'.  When  the  sponges  are  lifted 
up  by  superabundance  of  water,  all  the  pores  therein  arc  opened: 
as  the  earthen  mantle  subsides  again,  the  pores  act  like  natural 
valves,  and  are  partially  closed,  and  by  the  weight  of  earth  above 
them  the  water  is  thus  prevented  from  running  away  altogether; 
time  also  being  required  to  wet  all  the  sand  through  which  the 
rains  soak,  the  great  supply  may  only  find  its  way  to  the  sponge 
a  month  or  so  after  the  great  rains  have  fallen. 


260 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


I  traveled  in  Lunda,  when  the  sponges  were  all  supersaturated. 
The  grassy  sward  was  so  lifted  up  that  it  was  separated  into 
patches  or  tufts,  and  if  the  foot  missed  the  row  of  tufts  of  this 
wiry  grass  which  formed  the  native  path,  down  one  plumped  up 
to  the  thigh  in  slush.  At  that  time  we  could  cross  the  sponge 
only  by  the  native  paths,  and  the  central  burn  only  where  they 
had  placed  bridges;  elsewhere  they  were  impassable,  as  they 
poured  off  the  waters  of  inundation :  our  oxen  were  generally 
bogged — all  four  legs  went  down  up  to  the  body  at  once.  When 
they  saw  the  clear  sandy  bottom  of  the  central  burn  they  readily 
went  in,  but  usually  plunged  right  overhead,  leaving  their  tail  up 
in  the  air  to  show  the  nervous  shock  they  had  sustained. 

These  sponges  are  a  serious  matter  in  traveling.  I  crossed  the 
twenty-nine  already  mentioned  at  the  end  of  the  fourth  month 
of  the  dry  season,  and  the  central  burns  seemed  then  to  have 
suffered  no  diminution:  they  were  then  from  calf  to  waist  deep, 
and  required  from  fifteen  to  forty  minutes  in  crossing;  they  had 
many  deep  holes  in  the  paths,  and  when  one  plumps  therein  ev- 
ery muscle  in  the  frame  receives  a  painful  jerk.  When  past  the 
stream,  and  apparently  on  partially  dry  ground,  one  may  jog  in 
a  foot  or  more,  and  receivd  a  squirt  of  black  mud  up  the  thighs: 
it  is  only  when  you  reach  the  trees,  and  are  off  the  sour  land, 
that  you  feel  secure  from  mud  and  leeches.  As  one  has  to  strip 
the  lower  part  of  the  person  in  order  to  ford  them,  I  found  that 
often  four  were  as  many  as  we  could  cross  in  a  day.  Looking 
up  these  sponges,  a  bird's-eye  view  would  closely  resemble  the 
lichen -like  vegetation  of  frost  on  window-panes;  or  that  vege- 
tation in  Canada -balsam  which  mad  philosophical  instrument- 
makers  will  put  between  the  lenses  of  the  object-glasses  of  our 
telescopes.  The  flat,  or  nearly  flat,  tops  of  the  subtending  and 
transverse  ridges  of  this  central  country  give  rise  to  a  great  many: 
I  crossed  twenty-nine,  a  few  of  the  feeders  of  Bangweolo,  in  thirty 
miles  of  latitude  in  one  direction.  Burns  are  literally  innumera- 
ble: rising  on  the  ridges,  or,  as  I  formerly  termed  them,  mounds, 
they  are  undoubtedly  the  primary  or  ultimate  sources  of  the  Zam- 
besi, Congo,  and  Nile  :  by  their  union  are  formed  streams  of  from 
thirty  to  eighty  or  one  hundred  yards  broad,  and  always  deep 
enough  to  require  either  canoes  or  bridges.  These  I  propose  to 
call  the  secondary  sources;  and  as,  in  the  case  of  the  Nile,  they 
are  drawn  off  by  three  lines  of'drainage,  they  become  the  head- 
waters (the  caput  Nili)  of  the  river  of  Egypt. 

Thanks  to  that  all-embracing  Providence  which  has  watched 
over  and  enabled  me  to  discover  what  I  have  done.    There  is 


SYDE  BIN  HA  BIB  SPEAKS  OF  FOUNTAINS. 


261 


Still  much  to  do,  and,  if  health  and  protection  be  granted,  I  shall 
make  a  complete  thing  of  it. 

[Then  he  adds  in  a  note  a  little  farther  on  :] 

But  few  of  the  sponges  on  the  water-shed  ever  dry;  elsewhere 
many  do;  the  cracks  in  their  surface  are  from  fifteen  to  eighteen 
inches  deep,  with  lips  from  two  to  three  inches  apart.  Crabs  and 
other  animals,  in  clearing  out  their  runs,  reveal  what  I  verified 
by  actually  digging  wells  at  Kizinga  and  in  Kabuire,  and  also 
observed  in  the  ditches,  fifteen  feet  deep,  dug  by  the  natives 
round  many  of  their  stockades,  that  the  sponge  rests  on  a  stratum 
of  fine  whitewashed  sand.  These  cracks  afford  a  good  idea  of 
the  effect  of  the  rains:  the  partial  thunder- showers  of  October, 
November,  December,  and  even  January,  produce  no  effect  on 
them;  it  is  only  when  the  sun  begins  to  return  from  his  greatest 
-i)uthern  declination  that  the  cracks  close  their  large  lips.  The 
whole  sponge  is  borne  up,  and  covers  an  enormous  mass  of  wa- 
ter, oozing  forth  in  March  and  April,  forming  the  inundations. 
These  floods  in  the  Congo,  Zambesi,  and  Nile  require  different 
times  to  reach  the  sea.  The  bulk  of  the  Zambesi  is  further 
augmented  by  the  greater  rains  finding  many  pools  in  the 
beds  of  its  feeders  filled  in  February,  as  soon  as  the  sun  comes 
north. 

Mem. — In  apparent  contradiction  of  the  foregoing,  so  far  as 
touches  the  sources  of  the  Zambesi,  Syde  bin  Ilabib  informed  me 
a  few  days  ago  that  he  visited  the  sources  of  the  Liambai  and  of 
the  Lufira.  Each  comes  out  of  a  fountain ;  the  Lufira  one  is  call- 
ed Changozi,  and  is  small,  and  in  a  wood  of  large  trees  south- 
west of  Katanga ;  the  fountain  of  the  Liambai  is  so  large  that  one 
can  not  call  to  a  person  on  the  other  side,  and  he  appears  also  very 
small  there:  the  two  fountains  are  just  five  hours  distant  from 
each  other.  He  is  well  acquainted  with  the  Liambai  (Leeambyc), 
where  I  first  met  him.  Lunga,  another  river,  comes  out  of  near- 
ly the  same  spot  which  goes  into  the  LeuSge,  Kafud  (?).  Lufira 
is  less  than  Kalongosi  up  there ;  that  is  less  than  eighty  or  two 
hundred  yards,  and  it  has  deep  water -falls  in  it.  Tlie  Kond 
range  comes  down  north,  nearly  to  Mpmdto's.  Mkana  is  the  chief 
of  the  stone  houses  in  the  Baloba,  and  he  may  be  reached  by 
three  days  of  hard  traveling  from  Mpweto's;  Lufira  is  then  one 
long  day  west.  As  Muabo  refuses  to  show  me  his  "inita," 
"miengelo,"  or  "mpamankanana,"  as  they  are  called,  I  must  try 
and  get  to  those  of  the  Baloba  of  Mkana. 

Senegal  swallows  pair  in  the  beginning  of  December. 

18 


-262 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Note.  — In  u  n  da  tion . 

The  inundation  I  have  explained  in  the  note  on  the  climate  as 
owing  to  the  sponges  being  supersaturated  in  the  greater  rains, 
when  the  sun  returns  from  his  greatest  southern  declination  ;  the 
pores  are  then  all  enlarged  and  the  water  of  inundation  flows  in 
great  volume  even  after  the  rains  hnve  entirely  ceased.  Some- 
thing has  probably  to  be  learned  from  the  rain-fall  at  or  beyond 
the  equator,  as  the  sun  pursues  his  way  north  beyond  my  beat; 
but  the  process  I  have  named  accounts  undoubtedly  for  the  inun- 
dations of  the  Congo  and  Zambesi.  The  most  acute  of  the  an-' 
cients  ascribed  the  inundation  with  Strabo  to  summer  rains  in 
the  south ;  others,  to  snows  melting  on  the  mountains  of  the 
Moon  ;  others,  to  the  northern  wind — the  Etesian  breezes  blow- 
ing directly  against  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  its  current:  oth- 
ers, with  less  reason,  ascribed  the  inundation  to  its  having  its 
source  in  the  ocean :  Herodotus  and  Pliny,  to  evaporation  follow- 
ing the  course  of  the  sun. 

September  1st,  1868. — Two  men  come  from  Casembe — T  am  re- 
ported killed.  The  miniugo-tree  distills  water,  which  falls  in 
large  drops.  The  Luapula  seen  when  the  smoke  clears  off.  Fifty 
of  Syde  bin  Omar's  people  died  of  small-pox  in  Usafa. 

Mem. — Vaccine  Virus.  We  leave  on  the  25th  the  cast  bank 
of  Moisi  Kiver,  and  cross  the  Luongo  on  the  28th,  the  Lofubu  on 
the  1st  of  October,  and  the  Kalongoisi  on  the  7th. 

[Dr.  Livingstone  seems  to  have  been  unable  to  find  opportunity 
to  make  daily  entries  at  this  period.  All  was  turmoil  and  panic, 
and  his  life  appears  to  have  been  in  imminent  danger.  Briefly 
we  see  that,  on  his  way  back  from  the  Lake,  he  found  that  his 
Arab  associates  of  the  last  few  months  had  taken  up  Casembe's 
cause  against  the  devastating  hordes  of  Mazitu,  who  had  swept 
down  on  these  parts,  and  had  repulsed  them.  But  now  a  fresh 
complication  arose!  Casembe  and  Chikumbi  became  alarmed 
lest  the  Arabs,  feeling  their  own  power,  should  turn  upon  thciii 
and  possess  the  whole  country;  so  they  joined  forces  and  storm- 
ed Kombokombo,  one  of  the  leading  Arabs,  and  with  what  suc- 
cess we  shall  see.  It  is  a  fair  specimen  of  the  unaccountable 
complications  which  dog  the  stops  of  the  traveler  where  war  is 
•afoot,  and  render  life  a  misery.  lie  writes  as  follows  on  the  5tli 
•of  October :] 

I  was  detained  in  the  Imbozhwa  country  much  longer  than  1 
relished.  The  inroad  of  the  ^fazilu,  of  which  Casembe  had  ju.*t 
heard  when  wc  reached  the  Mofwc,  was  the  first  cause  of  delay : 


* 


DISTURBANCES  AND  COMPLICATIONS. 


263 


he  had  at  once  sent  off  men  to  verify  the  report,  and  requested 
me  to  remain  till  his  messengers  should  return.  This  foray  pro- 
duced a  state  of  lawlessness  in  the  country,  which  was  the  main 
reason  of  our  further  detention. 

The  Imbozhwa  fled  before  the  marauders,  and  the  Banyamwe- 
zi,  or  Garaganza,  who  had  come  in  numbers  to  trade  in  copper, 
took  on  themselves  the  duty  of  expelling  the  invaders,  and  this, 
by  means  of  their  muskets,  they  did  effectually;  then,  building- 
stockades,  they  excited  the  jealousy  of  the  Imbozhwa  lords  of 
the  soil,  who,  instead  of  feeling  grateful,  hated  the  new  power 
thus  sprung  up  among  them!  They  had  suffered  severely  from 
the  sharp  dealing  of  the  strangers  already,  and  Chikumbi  made  a 
determined  assault  on  the  stockade  of  Kombokombo  in  vain. 

Confusion  prevailed  all  over  the  country.  Some  Banyamwezi 
assumed  the  offensive  against  the  Baiisi,  who  resemble  the  Im- 
bozhwa, but  are  farther  south,  and  captured  and  sold  some  pris- 
oners: it  was  in  this  state  of  things  that,  as  already  mentioned, 
I  was  surrounded  by  a  party  of  furious  Imbozhwa.  A  crowd 
stood  within  fifteen  or  twenty  yards,  with  spears  poised,  and  ar- 
rows set  in  the  bowstrings,  and  som^e  took  aim  at  me  :  they  took 
us  for  plunderers,  and  some  plants  of  ground-nuts  thrown  about 
gave  color  to  their  idea.  One  good  soul  helped  us  away — a  bless- 
ing be  on  him  and  his !  Another  chief  man  took  us  for  Mazitu  ! 
In  this  state  of  confusion  Casembe  heard  that  my  party  had  been 
cut  off.  He  called  in  Moencmpanda,  and  took  the  field  in  per- 
son, in  order  to  punish  the  Banyamwezi,  against  whom  he  has  an 
old  grudge  for  killing  a  near  relative  of  his  family,  selling  Baiisi, 
and  sotting  themselves  up  as  a  power  in  his  country. 

The  two  Arab  traders  now  in  the  country  felt  that  they  must 
unite  their  forces,  and  thereby  effect  a  safe  retreat.  Chikumbi 
had  kept  twenty-eight  tusks  for  Sydc  bin  Omar  safely ;  but  the 
coining  of  Casembe  might  have  put  it  out  of  his  power  to  deliver 
up  his  trust  in  safety,  for  an  army  here  is  often  quite  lawless :  each 
man  takes  to  himself  what  he  can.  Wlien  united,  we  marched 
from  KiJiinga  on  September  23d  together,  built  fences  every 
night  to  protect  ourselves  and  about  four  hundred  Banyamwezi, 
who  took  the  opportunity  to  get  safely  away,  Kombokombo 
came  away  from  his  stockade,  and  also  part  of  the  way,  but  cut 
away  by  night  across  country  to  join  the  parties  of  his  country- 
men, who  still  love  to  trade  in  Katanga  copper.  We  were  not 
molested,  but  came  nearly  north  to  the  Kalongosi.  Syde  parted 
from  us,  and  went  away  east  to  Mozamba,  and  thence  to  the  coast. 


264 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Cataracts  of  the  Kalongosi. — Passage  of  the  River  disputed. — Leeches,  and  INIeth- 
od  of  detaching  them. — Syde  bin  IIabib"s  Slaves  escape. — Enormous  Collection  of 
Tusks. — 111. — Theory  of  the  Nile  Sources. — Tribute  to  MissTinne'. — Notes  on  Cli- 
mate.— Separation  of  Lake  Nyassa  from  the  Nile  System. — Observations  on  Vic- 
toria Nyanza. — Slaves  dying. — Repentant  Deserters. — Mohamad  Bogharib.— En- 
raged Imbozhwa. — An  Attack. — Narrow  Escape. — Renewed  Attack. — A  Parley. 
— Help  arrives. — Bin  Juma. — March  from  the  Imbozhwa  Country. — Slaves  escape. 
— Burial  of  Syde  bin  Habib's  Brother. — Singular  Custom. — An  Elephant  killed. — 
Native  Game-laws. — Rumor  of  Baker's  Expedition. — Christmas  Dinners. 

October  11th,  1868. — From  Kizinga  north  'the  country  is  all 
covered  with  forest,  and  thrown  up  into  ridges  of  hardened  sand- 
stone, capped  occasionally  with  fine-grained  clay  schist.  Trees 
often  appear  of  large  size,  and  of  a  species  closely  resembling  the 
gam-copal-tree ;  on  the  heights  masukos  and  rhododendrons  are 
found,  and,  when  exposed,  they  are  bent  away  from  the  south- 
east. Animals,  as  buffaloes  and  elephants,  are  plentiful,  but  wild. 
Rivulets  numerous,  and  running  now  as  briskly  as  brooks  do  af- 
ter much  rain  in  England.  All  on  the  south-western  side  of  Ka- 
longosi are  subjects  of  Casembe;  that  is,  Balunda,  or  Imbozhwa. 

It  was  gratifying  to  see  the  Banyamwezi  carrying  their  sick  in 
cots  slung  between  two  men  :  in  the  course  of  time  they  tired  of 
this,  and  one  man,  who  was  carried  several  days,  remained  with 
Chuma.  We  crossed  the  Luongo  far  above  where  we  first  be- 
came acquainted  with  it,  and  near  its  source  in  Urungu  or  Usun- 
gu  hills;  then  the  Lobubu,  a  goodly  stream  thirty  yards  broad, 
and  rapid,  with  fine  falls  above  our  ford,  which  goes  into  Kalon- 
gosi. 

October  6ih. — Cross  the  Papusi,  and  a  mile  beyond  the  Lucna, 
of  forty  yards  and  knee-deep.  Here  we  were  met  by  about  four 
hundred  of  Kabanda's  men,  as  if  they  were  come  to  dispute  our 
passage  at  the  ford.  I  went  over :  all  were  civil ;  but  had  we 
shown  any  weakness  they  would  no  doubt  have  taken  advantage 
of  it. 

October  7th. — We  came  to  the  Kalongosi,  flowing  over  five  cat- 
aracts made  by  five  islets  in  a  place  called  Kabwtjrumd.  Near 
the  Mebamba  a  goodly  rivulet  joins  it. 

October  12th. — We  came  to  the  Kalongosi  at  the  ford  named 
Mosolo :  by  pacing,  I  found  it  to  be  two  hundred  and  forty  yards 


AEAB  REVENGE. 


265 


broad,  and  thigh-deep  at  the  end  of  the  dry  season  :  it  ran  so 
strongly  that  it  was  with  difficulty  I  could  keep  my  feet.  Here 
five  hundred  at  least  of  Nsama's  people  stood  on  the  opposite 
shore  to  know  what  we  wanted.  Two  fathoms  of  calico  were 
sent  over,  and  then  I  and  thirty  guns  went  over  to  protect  the 
people  in  the  ford :  as  we  approached,  they  retired.  I  went  to 
them,  and  told  them  that  I  had  been  to  Nsama's,  and  he  gave  me 
a  goat  and  food,  and  we  were  good  friends.  Some  had  seen  me 
there,  and  they  now  crowded  to  look  till  the  Arabs  thought  it 
unsafe  for  me  to  be  among  them :  if  I  had  come  with  bared  skin 
they  would  have  fled.  All  became  friendly:  an  elephant  was 
killed,  and  we  remained  two  days  buying  food.  We  passed 
down  between  the  ranges  of  hills  on  the  east  of  Moero,  the  path 
we  followed  when  we  first  visited  Casembe. 

October  2.0th,  21st. — From  the  Luao  I  went  over  to  the  chief 
village  of  Muabo,  and  begged  him  to  show  me  the  excavations  in 
his  country.  He  declined,  by  saying  that  I  came  from  a  crowd 
of  people,  and  must  go  to  Kabwabwata,  and  wait  a  while  there; 
meanwhile  he  would  think  what  he  should  do — whether  to  re- 
fuse or  invite  me  to  come.  He  evidently  does  not  wish  me  to 
see  his  strongholds.  All  his  people  could  go  into  them,  though 
over  ten  thousand:  they  are  all  abundantly  supplied  with  water, 
and  they  form  the  store-houses  for  grain. 

October  22(1. — We  came  to  Kabwabwata,  and  I  hope  I  may  find 
a  way  to  other  under-ground  houses.  It  is  probable  that  they 
are  not  the  workmanship  of  the  ancestors  of  the  present  occu- 
pants, for  they  ascribe  their  formation  invariably  to  the  Deity, 
Mulungu  or  Reza:  if  their  forefathers  had  made  them,  some  tra- 
dition would  have  existed  of  them. 

October  23rf. — Syde  bin  Habib  came  over  from  Mpwdto's:  he 
reports  Lualaba  and  Lufira  flowing  into  the  Lake  of  Kiiikonza. 
Lungabal6  is  paramount  chief  of  liua. 

Mparahala  horns  measured  three  feet  long,  and  three  inches  in 
diameter  at  the  base :  this  is  the  yellow  kualata  of  Makololo,  bas- 
tard gemsbok  of  the  Dutch. 

October  21th,  2dlh,  30/'/i.— Salem  bin  Habib  was  killed  by  the 
people  in  Rua:  he  had  put  up  a  tent,  and  they  attacked  it  in  the 
night,  and  stabbed  him  through  it.  Syde  bin  Habib  waged  a 
war  of  vengeance  all  through  Kua  after  this  for  the  murder  of 
his  brother.    Sef's  raid  may  have  led  the  pcojilc  to  the  murder. 

October  29th. — In  coming  north  in  September  and  October,  the 
last  months  of  the  dry  season,  I  crossed  many  burns  flowing  quite 
in  the  manner  of  our  brooks  at  home,  after  a  great  deal  of  rain  ; 


•2C6 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUBNALS. 


here,  however,  the  water  was  clear,  and  the  banks  not  abraded  in 
the  least.  Some  rivulets  had  a  tinge  of  white  in  them,  as  if  of 
feldspar  in  disintegrating  granite:  some  nearly  stagnant  burns 
had  as  if  milk  and  water  in  them,  and  some  red  oxide  of  iron. 

Where  leeches  occur,  they  need  no  coaxing  to  bite,  but  fly  at 
the  white  skin- like  furies,  and  refuse  to  let  go:  with  the  fingers 
benumbed,  though  the  water  is  only  60°,  one  may  twist  them 
round  the  finger  and  tug,  but  they  slip  through.  I  saw  the  na- 
tives detaching  them  with  a  smart  slap  of  the  palm,  and  found  it 
quite  effectual. 

Swifts,  Senegal  swallows,  and  common  dark-bellied  swallows 
appeared  at  Kizinga  in  the  beginning  of  October :  other  birds,  as 
Drongo  shrikes — a  bird  .with  a  reddish  bill,  but  otherwise  like 
a  gray  linnet— keep  in  flocks  yet.  (December  5th.)  They  pair 
now.  The  kite  came  sooner  than  the  swallows;  I  saw  the  first 
at  Bangweolo  on  July  20th,  1868. 

November  ls<,  1868.  —  At  Kabwabwata:  we  are  waiting  till 
Syde  comes  up,  that  we  may  help  him.  He  has  an  enormous 
number  of  tusks  and  bars  of  copper,  sufficient,  it  seems,  for  all  his 
people  to  take  forward,  going  and  returning  three  times  over. 
He  has  large  canoes  on  the  Lake,  and  will  help  us  in  return. 

November  2d. — News  came  yesterday  from  Mpwdto's  that  twen- 
ty-one slaves  had  run  away  from  Syde  bin  Habib  at  one  time: 
they  were  Rua  people,  and  out  of  the  chains,  as  they  were  con- 
sidered safe  when  fairly  over  the  Lualaba,  but  they  showed  their 
love  of  liberty  on  the  first  opportunity.  Mpweto  is  suspected  to 
have  harbored  them,  or  helped  them  over  the  river;  this  will 
probably  lead  to  Syde  attacking  him,  as  he  has  done  to  so  many 
chiefs  in  Rua.  In  this  case  Mpweto  will  have  no  sympathy ;  he 
is  so  wanting  in  the  spirit  of  friendliness  to  others. 

November  Sd.  —  Sent  off  men  to  hasten  Syde  onward.  We 
start  in  two  or  three  days. 

The  oldest  map  known  to  be  in  existence  is  the  map  of  the 
Ethiopian  Gold  Mines,  dating  from  the  time  of  Sethos  I.,  the  fa- 
ther of  Rameses  II.,  long  enough  before  the  time  of  the  bronze 
tablet  of  Aristagoras,  on  which  was  inscribed  the  circuit  of  the 
whole  earth,  and  all  the  sea  and  all  rivers.  (Tylor,  p.  90,  quoted 
from  Birch's  "Archaiologia,"  vol.  xxxiv.,  p.  382.)  Sesostris  was 
the  first  to  distribute  his  maps. 

November  8ih.  —  Syde  bin  Habib  is  said  to  have  amassed  150 
frasilahs  of  ivory  =  5250  pounds,  and  300  frasilahs  of  copper  = 
10,500  pounds.  With  one  hundred  carriers  he  requires  to  make 
four  relays,  or  otherwise  make  the  journey  four  times  over  at 


" EGYPT S  HEAFEN-DESCENDINa  SFBIXG."  267 


every  stage.  Twenty-one  of  bis  slaves  ran  away  in  one  night, 
and  only  four  were  caught  again ;  they  were  not  all  bought,  nor 
was  the  copper  and  ivory  come  at  by  fair  means :  the  murder  of 
his  brother  was  a  good  excuse  for  plunder,  murder,  and  capture. 
Mpwcto  is  suspected  of  harboring  them  as  living  on  the  banks  of 
the  Lualaba,  for  they  could  not  get  over  without  assistance  from 
his  canoes  and  people.  Mpwcto  said,  "  Remove  from  me,  and  we 
shall  see  if  they  come  this  way."  They  are  not  willing  to  deliver 
fugitives  up.  Syde  sent  for  Elmas,  the  on\y  thing  of  the  Mullam 
or  clerical  order  here,  probably  to  ask  if  the  Koran  authorizes 
him  to  attack  Mpwcto.  Mullam  will  reply,  "Yes,  certainly.  If 
Mpweto  won't  restore  your  slaves,  take  what  you  can  by  force." 
Syde's  bloodshed  is  now  pretty  large,  and  he  is  becoming  afraid 
for  his  own  life ;  if  he  ceases  not,  he  will  himself  be  caught  some 
day. 

Ill  of  fever  two  days.    Better,  and  thankful. 

[While  waiting  to  start  for  Ujiji,  Livingstone  was  intently  oc- 
cupied on  the  great  problem  of  the  Nile,  and  the  important  part 
he  had  taken  so  recently  in  solving  it:  he  writes  at  this  date  as 
follows :] 

The  discovery  of  the  sources  of  the  Nile  is  somewhat  akin  in 
importance  to  the  discovery  of  the  North-west  Passage,  which 
called  forth,  though  in  a  minor  degree,  the  energj^,  the  persever- 
ance, and  the  pluck  of  Englishmen  ;  and  any  thing  that  does 
that  is  beneficial  to  the  nation  and  to  its  posterity.  The  discov- 
ery of  the  sources  of  the  Nile  possesses,  moreover,  an  element  of 
interest  which  the  North-west  Passage  never  had.  The  great 
men  of  antiquity  have  recorded  their  ardent  desires  to  know  the 
fountains  of  wliat  Ilomer  called  '■^Egyjjfs  heaven-descending  sjving." 
Sesostris,  the  first  who  in  camp  with  his  army,  made  and  dis- 
tributed maps,  not  to  Egyptians  only,  but  to  the  Scythians,  nat- 
urally wished  to  know  the  springs,  says  Eustathius,  of  the  river 
on  whose  banks  he  flourished.  Alexander  the  Great,  who  found- 
ed a  celebrated  city  at  tliis  river's  mouth,  looked  up  the  stream 
with  the  same  desire,  and  so  did  the  Cajsars.  The  great  Julius 
Cajsar  is  made  by  Lucan  to  say  that  he  would  give  up  the  civil 
war  if  he  might  but  see  the  fountains  of  this  far-famed  river. 
Nero  Caj.sar  sent  two  centurions  to  examine  the  ^'Capul  XiliJ'' 
They  reported  that  they  saw  the  river  rushing  with  great  force 
from  two  rocks,  and  beyond  that  it  was  lost  in  immense  marshes. 
This  was  probably  "native  information  "  concerning  the  cataracts 
of  the  Nile  and  a  long  space  above  them,  which  had  already  been 


2C8 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


enlarged  by  others  into  two  hills,  with  sharp,  conical  tops,  called 
Crophi  and  Mophi,  midway  between  which  lay  the  fountains  of 
the  Nile — fountains  which  it  was  impossible  to  fathom,  and  which 
gave  forth  half  their  water  to  Ethiopia  in  the  south,  and  the 
other  half  to  Egypt  in  the  north.  That  which  these  men  failed  to 
find,  and  that  which  many  great  minds  in  ancient  times  longed 
to  know,  has  in  this  late  age  been  brought  to  light  by  the  patient 
toil  and  laborious  perseverance  of  Englishmen.* 

In  laying  a  contribution  to  this  discovery  at  the  feet  of  his 
countrymen,  the  writer  desires  to  give  all  the  honor  to  his  prede- 
cessors which  they  deserve.  The  work  of  Speke  and  Grant  is 
deserving  of  the  highest  commendation,  inasmuch  as  they  opened 
up  an  immense  tract  of  previously  unexplored  country,  in  the 
firm  belief  they  were  bringing  to  light  the  head  of  the  Nile.  No 
one  can  appreciate  the  difficulties  of  their  feat',  unless  he  has  gone 
into  new  country.  In  association  with  Captain  Burton,  Speke 
came  much  nearer  to  the  "coy  fountains"  than  at  the  Victoria 
Nyanza,  but  they  all  turned  their  backs  on  them.  Mr.  Baker 
showed  courage  and  perseverance  worthy  of  an  Englishman,  in 
following  out  the  hints  given  by  Speke  and  Grant.  But  none 
rises  higher  in  my  estimation  than  the  Dutch  lady.  Miss  Tinnr. 
who,  after  the  severest  domestic  afliiictions,  nobly  persevered  in 
the  teeth  of  every  difficulty,  and  only  turned  away  from  the  ob- 
ject of  her  expedition  after  being  assured  by  Speke  and  Grant 
that  they  had  already  discovered  in  Victoria  Nyanza  the  sources 
she  sought.  Had  they  not  given  their  own  mistaken  views,  the 
wise  foresight  by  which  she  provided  a  steamer  would  inevitably 
have  led  her  to  pull  up,  and  by  canoes  to  reach  Lake  Bangweolo's 
sources,  full  five  hundred  miles  south  of  the  most  southerly  part 
of  Victoria  Nyanza.  She  evidently  possesses  some  of  the  indom- 
itable pluck  of  Van  Tromp,  whose  tomb  every  Englishman  who 
goes  to  Holland  must  see.f  Her  doctor  was  mado  a  baron — were 
she  not  a  Dutch  lady  already,  we  think  she  ought  to  be  made  a 
duchess. 

By  way  of  contrast  with  what,  if  I  live  through  it,  I  shall  have 
to  give,  I  may  note  some  of  the  most  prominent  ideas  entertained 


*  In  1827,  T>inant  reached  .10'  N.  on  the  Wliite  Nile.  In  1841,  tlie  second 
Egyptian,  under  D'Arnaukl  and  Sabatier,  ex))lored  the  river  to  4°  42'  N.,  and  Jomard 
inililislied  liis  work  on  Linimoo  and  the  Uivcr  Ilabaiuii.  Dr.  Beke  and  Mr.  D'Ab- 
badio  contributed  tlieir  share  to  making  the  Nile  better  known.  Hrun  Kollet  estab- 
lished a  trading  station  in  1854  at  Uelenia,  on  the  Nile,  at  5°  N.  lat. 

t  Miss  Tinnd  succnmbed  to  the  dangers  of  Afrieau  traveling  before  Livingstone 
penned  these  just  words  of  appreciation. 


CONTEMPOBART  EXPLOBEBS. 


269 


of  this  world-renowned  river.  Ptolemy,  a  geographer  who  lived 
in  the  second  century,  and  was  not  a  king  of  Egypt,  with  the 
most  ancient  maps  made  the  Nile  rise  from  the  "  Montes  Lunae," 
between  10°  and  12°  S.  lat.,  by  six  several  streams  which  flowed 
north  into  two  lakes,  situated  east  and  west  of  each  other.  These 
streams  flowed  about  west  of  his  Eiver  Ehapta,  or  Eaptus,  which 
is  probably  our  Rovuma,  or  Louma.  This  was  very  near  the 
truth,  but  the  Mountains  of  the  Moon  can  not  be  identified  with 
the  Lokinga,  or  mountains  of  Bisa,  from  which  many  of  the 
springs  do  actually  arise ;  unless,  indeed,  we  are  nearer  to  the 
great  alterations  in  climate  which  have  taken  place,  as  we  are 
supposed  to  be  nearer  the  epoch  of  the  mammoth,  aurochs,  and 
others.  Snow  never  lay  in  these  latitudes  on  altitudes  of  six 
thousand  feet  above  the  sea. 

Some  of  the  ancients  supposed  the  river  to  have  its  source  in 
the  ocean.  This  was  like  the  answer  we  received  long  ago  from 
the  natives  on  the  Liambai,  or  Upper  Zambesi,  when  inquiring 
for  its  source.  "It  rises  in  Leoatle,  the  white  man's  sea,  or  Met- 
s^hula."  The  second  name  means  the  grazing  water, from  the 
idea  of  the  tides  coming  in  to  graze:  as  to  the  freshness  of  the 
Liambai  waters,  they  could  offer  no  explanation. 

Some,  again,  thought  that  the  Nile  rose  in  Western  Africa,  and, 
after  flowing  eastward  across  the  continent,  turned  northward  to 
Egypt ;  others,  still,  thought  that  it  rose  in  India !  and  others, 
again,  from  vague  reports  collected  from  their  slaves,  made  it  and 
several  other  rivers  rise  out  of  a  great  inland  sea.  Achelunda  was 
said  to  be  the  name  of  this  lake,  and  in  the  language  of  Angola 
it  meant  the  "se«."  It  means  only  "o/J"  or  hdonging  to,  Lunda,^'' 
a  country.  It  might  have  been  a  sea  that  was  spoken  of  on  a 
whole,  or  any  thing.  ^'^  Nyassi,  oi:  the  sea,^^  was  another  name,  and 
another  blunder.  "Nyassi"  means  long  grass,  and  nothing  else. 
Nyanza,  contracted  into  Nyassa,  means  lake,  marsh,  any  piece  of 
water,  or  even  the  dry  bed  of  a  lake.  The  iVand  //  are  joined  in 
the  mouth,  and  never  pronounced  separately.  The  "Naianzal" 
— it  would  be  nearer  the  mark  to  say  the  Nancy  1 

Of  all  theoretical  discoverers,  the  man  who  ran  in  two  hundred 
miles  of  lake  and  placed  them  on  a  height  of  some  four  thousand 
feet  at  the  north-west  end  of  Lake  Nyassa,  deserves  the  highest 
place.  Dr.  Ikkc,  in  his  guess,  came  nearer  the  sources  than  most 
othens,  but,  after  all,  he  pointed  out  where  they  would  not  be 
found.  Old  Nile  played  the  theorists  a  pretty  prank  by  having 
his  .springs  five  hundred  miles  south  of  tliem  all !  I  call  mine  a 
contribution,  because  it  is  just  a  hundred  years  (1769)  since  Bruce, 


•270 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS 


a  greater  traveler  than  any  of  us,  visited  Abyssinia,  and  having 
discovered  the  sources  of  the  Blue  Nile,  he  thought  that  he  had 
then  solved  the  ancient  problem.  Am  I  to  be  cut  out  by  some 
one  discovering  southern  fountains  of  the  river  of  Egypt,  of  which 
I  have  now  no  conception  ?  David  Livingstone. 

[The  tiresome  procrastination  of  Mohamad  and  his  horde  was 
not  altogether  an  unmixed  evil.  With  so  many  new  discoveries 
in  hand,  Livingstone  had  an  opportunity  for  working  out  several 
problems,  and  instituting  comparisons  between  the  phenomena 
of  Inner  Africa  and  the  well-marked  changes  which  go  on  in 
other  parts  of  the  world.  We  find  him  at  this  time  summing 
them  up  as  follows :] 

The  subject  of  change  of  climate  from  alteration  of  level  has 
not  received  the  investigation  it  deserves.  Mr.  Darwin  saw  rea- 
son to  believe  that  very  great  alterations  of  altitude,  and  of  course 
of  climate,  had  taken  place  in  South  America  and  the  islands  of 
the  Pacific.  The  level  of  a  country  above  the  sea  I  believe  he 
thought  to  be  as  variable  as  the  winds.  A  very  great  alteration 
of  altitude  has  also  taken  place  in  Africa ;  this  is  apparent  on  the 
sea-coast  of  Angola,  and  all  through  the  centre  of  the  country, 
where  large  rivers  which  once  flowed  southward  and  westward 
are  no  longer  able  to  run  in  these  directions :  the  general  desicca- 
tion of  the  country,  as  seen  in  the  beds  of  large  rivers  and  of  enor- 
mous lakes,  tells  the  same  tale.  Portions  of  the  East  Coast  have 
sunk,  others  have  risen,  even  in  the  Historic  Period.  The  upper, 
or  northern,  end  of  the  Red  Sea  has  risen,  so  that  the  place  of 
the  passage  of  the  children  of  Israel  is  now  between  forty  and 
fifty  miles  from  Suez,  the  modern  head  of  the  Gulf  This  up- 
heaval, and  not  the  sand  from  the  desert,  caused  the  disuse  of  the 
ancient  canal  across  the  Isthmus:  it  took  place  since  the  Moham- 
medan conquest  of  Egypt.  The  women  of  the  Jewish  captivities 
were  carried  past  the  end  of  the  Red  Sea  and  along  the  Mediter- 
ranean in  ox-wagons,  where  such  cattle  would  now  all  perish  for 
want  of  water  and  pasture;  in  fact,  the  route  to  Assyria  would 
have  proved  more  fatal  to  captives  then  than  the  middle  passage 
has  been  to  Africans  since.  It  may  be  true  that,  as  the  desert  is 
now,  it  could  not  have  been  traversed  by  the  multitude  under 
Moses  —  the  German  strictures  put  fortli  b}'  Dr.  Colcnso,  under 
the  plea  of  the  progress  of  science,  assume  that  no  alteration  has 
taken  place  in  either  desert  or  climate — but  a  scientific  examina- 
tion of  the  subject  would  have  ascertained  wliat  the  country  was 
then  when  it  afforded  pasture  to  "  flocks  and  herds,  and  even 


LAKE  XYASSA  DBAIXS  SOUTHWARD. 


271 


very  much  cattle."  We  know  that_  Ezion-geber  was,  with  its 
docks,  on  the  sea-shore,  with  water  in  abundance  for  the  ship- 
carpenters  :  It  is  now  far  from  the  head  of  the  Elanitic  Gulf,  in  a 
parched  desert.  Aden,  when  visited  by  the  Portuguese  Balthazar 
less  than  three  hundred  years  ago,  was  a  perfect  garden  ;  but  it  is 
now  a  vast  conglomeration  of  black  volcanic  rocks,  with  so  little 
vegetation,  that,  on  seeing  flocks  of  goats  driven  out,  I  thought 
of  the  Irish  cabman  at  an  ascent  slamming  the  door  of  his  cab, 
and  whispering  to  his  fare,  "  Whish  !  it's  to  desave  the  baste  :  he 
thinks  that  you  are  out  walking."  Gigantic  tanks  in  great  num- 
bers and  the  ruins  of  aqueducts  appear  as  relics  of  the  past,  where 
no  rain  now  falls  for  three  or  more  years  at  a  time.  They  have 
all  dried  up  by  a  change  of  climate,  possibly  similar  and  contem- 
poraneous with  that  which  has  dried  up  the  Dead  Sea. 

The  journey  of  Ezra  was  undertaken  after  a  fast  at  the  Eiver 
Ahava.  With  nearlj^  fifty  thousand  people,  he  had  only  about 
eight  thousand  beasts  of  burden.  He  was  ashamed  to  ask  a 
band  of  soldiers  and  horsemen  fof  protection  in  the  way.  It 
took  about  four  months  to  reach  Jerusalem ;  this  would  give  five 
and  a  half  or  six  miles  a  day,  as  the  crow  flies,  which  is  equal  to 
twelve  or  fifteen  miles  of  surface  traveled  over:  this  bespeaks  a 
country  capable  of  yielding  both  provisions  and  water,  such  as 
can  not  now  be  found.  Ezra  would  not  have  been  ashamed  to 
ask  for  camels  to  carry  provisions  and  water  had  the  country 
been  as  dry  as  it  is  now.  The  prophets,  in  telling  all  the  woes 
and  miseries  of  the  captivities,  never  allude  to  suffering  or  per- 
ishing by  thirst  in  the  way,  or  being  left  to  rot  in  the  route,  as 
African  slaves  are  now,  in  a  well -watered  country.  Had  the 
route  to  Assyria  been  then  as  it  is  now,  they  could  scarcely  have 
avoided  referring  to  the  thirst  of  the  way ;  but  every  thing  else 
is  mentioned  except  that. 

Respecting  this  system  of  lakes  in  the  centre  of  Africa,  it  will 
possibly  occur  to  some  tliat  Lake  Nyassa  may  give  a  portion  of 
its  waters  off  from  its  northern  end  to  the  Nile,  but  this  would 
imply  a  lake  giving  off  a  river  at  both  ends;  the  country,  too,  on 
the  north -north -west  and  north-east  rises  to  from  four  to  six 
thousand  feet  above  the  sea,  and  there  is  not  the  smallest  indi- 
cation that  Nyassa  and  Tanganyika  were  ever  connected.  Lake 
LiemVja  is  the  most  southerly  part  of  Tanganyika  ;  its  latitude  is 
8"  46'  S. ;  the  most  northerly  point  of  Lake  Nyassa  is  probablv 
10°  56'-8°  46'  =  2°  10'.  Longitude  of  Lieniba,  34°  57'-31° 
67'=3°  00' =  180'  of  longitude.  Of  latitude,  130'  + 180' =310', 
two-thirds  of  which  is  about  206',  the  distance  between  two  lakes ; 


272  LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 

and  no  evidence  of  fissure,  rent,  or  channel  now  appears  on  the 
highhmd  between. 

Again,  Liemba  is  three  thousand  feet  above  the  sea.  The 
altitude  of  Nyassa  is  feet.  Tanganyika  would  thus  go  to 
Nyassa — down  the  Shir6  into  the  Zambesi  and  the  sea,  if  a  pas- 
sage existed  even  below  ground. 

The  large  lake  said  to  exist  to  the  noifh-west  of  Tanganyika 
might,  however,  send  a  branch  to  the  Nile ;  but  the  land  rises 
up  into  a  high  ridge  east  of  this  lake. 

It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that  the  impression  which  intelli- 
gent Suaheli,  who  have  gone  into  Karagwe,  have  received  is,  that 
the  Kitangule  flows  from  Tanganyika  into  Lake  Ukerewd  One 
of  Syde  bin  Omar's  people  put  it  to  me  very  forcibly  the  other 
day  by  saying,  "  Kitangul6  is  an  arm  of  Tanganyika !"  He  had 
not  followed  it  out ;  but  that  Dagara,  the  fa'ther  of  Rumanyika, 
should  have  in  his  lifetime  seriously  proposed  to  deepen  the  up- 
per part  of  it,  so  as  to  allow  canoes  to  pass  from  his  place  to 
Ujiji,  is  very  strong  evidence  of  the  river  being  large  on  the 
Tanganyika  side.  We  know  it  to  be  of  good  size,  and  requiring 
canoes  on  the  Ukerewe  side.  Burton  came  to  the  very  silly  con- 
clusion that  when  a  native  said  a  river  ran  one  way,  he  meant 
that  it  flowed  in  tlie  opposite  direction.  Ujiji,  in  Rumanyika's 
time,  was  the  only  mart  for  merchandise  in  the  country.  Gara- 
ganza,  or  Galaganza,  has  most  trade  and  influence  now.  (Sep- 
tember 1-ith,  1868.) 

Okara  is  the  name  by  which  Victoria  ISTyanza  is  known  on  the 
•  eastern  side,  and  an  arm  of  it,  called  Kavirondo,  is  about  forty 
miles  broad.  Lake  Baringo  is  a  distinct  body  of  water,  some 
fifty  miles  broad,  and  giving  off  a  river  called  Ngardabash,  which 
flows  eastward  into  the  Somauli  country.  Lake  Naibash  is  more 
to  the  east  than  Kavirondo,  and  about  fifty  miles  broad  too :  it 
gives  off"  the  River  Kidetc,  which  is  supposed  to  flow  into  Lufu. 
It  is  south-east  of  Kavirondo,  and  Kilimanjaro  can  be  seen  from 
its  shores :  in  the  south-east,  Okara,  Naibash,  and  Baringo  seem 
to  have  been  run  by  Speke  into  one  lake.  Okara,  in  the  south, 
is  full  of  large  islands,  and  has  but  little  water  between  them ; 
that  little  is  encumbered  with  aquatic  vegetation  called  "tikati- 
ka,"  on  which,  as  in  lakelet  Gumadona,  a  man  can  walk.  Water- 
lilies  and  duck-weed  are  not  the  chief  part  of  this  floating  mass. 
In  the  north  Okara  is  large.  Burukinegge  land  is  the  boundary 
between  the  people  of  Kavirondo  and  the  Gallahs,  with  camels 
and  horses. 

November  9th. — Copied  several  notes  written  at  Kizinga  and 


BUN  A  WATS  TAKEN  BACK. 


273 


elsewhere,  and  at  Kabwabwata  resume  journal.  Some  slight 
showers  have  cooled  the  air  a  little :  this  is  the  hottest  time  of 
the  year. 

November  10th.  —  A  heavier  shower  this  morning  will  have 
more  of  the  same  effect. 

Kovember  11th. — Muabo  visited  this  village,  but  refuses  to 
show  his  under-ground  houses. 

November  18th. — I  was  on  the  point  of  starting  without  Mo- 
hamad Bogharib,  but  he  begged  me  not  to  go  till  he  had  settled 
some  weighty  matter  about  a  wife  he  is  to  get  at  Ujiji  from 
Mpamari.  We  must  have  the  new  moon,  which  will  appear  in 
three  days,  for  lucky  starting,  and  will  leave  Syde  bin  Habib  at 
Chisabi's.  Meanwhile  two  women  slaves  ran  away,  and  Syde 
has  got  only  five  back  of  his  twenty-one  fugitives.  Mullam  was 
mild  with  his  decisions,  and  returned  here ;  he  informed  me  that 
many  of  Syde's  slaves,  about  forty,  fled.  Of  those  who  can  not 
escape  many  die,  evidently  broken  -  hearted ;  they  are  captives, 
and  not,  as  slaves  often  are,  criminals  sold  for  their  guilt ;  hence 
the  great  mortality  caused  by  being  taken  to  the  sea  to  be,  as 
they  believe,  fatted  and  eaten.  Poor  things!  Heaven  help 
them  ! 

Ujiji  is  the  pronunciation  of  the  Banyamwezi;  and  they  call 
the  people  Wayeiye,  exactly  as  the  same  people  styled  them- 
selves on  the  Eiver  Zougha,  near  Ngami. 

[It  will  be  remembered  that  several  of  his  men  refused  to  go 
to  Lake  Bangweolo  with  him  :  they  seem  now  to  have  thought 
better  of  it,  and  on  his  return  are  anxious  to  come  back  to  their 
old  master,  who,  for  his  part,  is  evidently  willing  to  overlook  a 
good  deal.] 

I  have  taken  all  the  runaways  back  again :  after  trying  the 
independent  life,  they  will  behave  better.  Much  of  their  ill  con- 
duct may  be  ascribed  to  seeing  that  after  the  flight  of  the  Johanna 
men  I  was  entirely  dependent  on  them.  More  enlightened  peo- 
ple often  take  advantage  of  men  in  similar  circumstances;  though 
I  have  seen  pure  Africans  come  out  generously  to  aid  on(?  aban- 
doned to  their  care.    I  have  faults  myself 

November  IbOi. — The  Arabs  have  some  tradition  of  the  Emir 
Musa  coming  as  far  south  as  the  Jagga  country.  Some  say  he 
lived  north-cast  ofSunna,  now  Mtoza;  but  it  is  so  mi.xcd  up  with 
fable  and  tales  of  the  Genii  (Mageni),  that  it  can  not  refer  to  the 
great  Moses,  concerning  whose  residence  at  Meroe  and  marriage 
of  the  king  of  Ethiopia's  daughter  there  is  also  some  vague  tradi- 


274  LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUENALS. 

tion  farther  north.  The  only  thing  of  interest  to  me  is  the  cit}' 
of  Meroe,  which  is  lost,  and  may,  if  built  by  ancient  Egyptians, 
still  be  found. 

The  Africans  all  beckon  with  the  hand,  to  call  a  person,  in  a 
different  way  from  what  Europeans  do.  The  hand  is  held,  as 
surgeons  say,  prone,  or  palm  down,  while  we  beckon  with  the 
hand  held  supine,  or  palm  up :  it  is  quite  natural  in  them,  for  the 
idea  in  their  mind  is  to  lay  the  hand  on  the  person  and  draw  him 
toward  them.  If  the  person  wished  for  is  near,  say  forty  yards 
off,  the  beckoner  puts  out  his  right  hand  on  a  level  with  his 
breast,  and  makes  the  motion  of  catching  the  other  by  shutting 
the  fingers  and  drawing  him  to  himself :  if  the  person  is  further 
off,  this  motion  is  exaggerated  by  lifting  up  the  right  hand  as 
high  as  he  can ;  he  brings  it  down  with  a  sweep  toward  the 
ground,  the  hand  being  still  held  prone  as  'before.  In  nodding 
assent,  they  differ  from  us  by  lifting  up  the  chin,  instead  of  bring- 
ing it  down  as  we  do.  This  lifting  up  the  chin  looks  natural  af- 
ter a  short  usage  therewith,  and  is  perhaps  purely  conventional, 
not  natural,  as  the  other  seems  to  be. 

November  IQih. — I  am  tired  out  by  waiting  after  finishing  the 
journal,  and  will  go  off  to-morrow  north.  Simon  killed  a  zebra 
after  I  had  taken  the  above  resolution,  and  this  supply  of  meat 
makes  delay  bearable  ;  for  besides  flesh,  of  which  I  had  none,  we 
can  buy  all  kinds  of  grain  and  pulse  for  the  next  few  days.  The 
women  of  the  adjacent  villages  crowd  into  this  as  soon  as  they 
hear  of  an  animal  killed,  and  sell  all  the  produce  of  their  planta- 
tions for  meat. 

November  17(h. — It  is  said  that  on  the  road  to  the  Great  Salt 
Lake  in  America  the  bones  and  skulls  of  animals  lie  scattered 
everywhere,  yet  travelers  are  often  put  to  great  straits  for  fuel: 
this,  if  true,  is  remarkable  among  a  people  so  apt  in  turning  ever}'^ 
thing  to  account  as  the  Americans.  When  we  first  steamed  up 
the  Kiver  Shire  our  fuel  ran  out  in  the  elephant  marsh,  where  no 
trees  exist,  and  none  could  be  reached  without  passing  through 
many  miles  on  cither  side  of  impassable  swamp,  covered  with 
reeds,"  and  intersected  everywhere  with  deep  branches  of  the 
river.  Coming  to  a  spot  where  an  elephant  had  been  slaughter- 
ed, I  at  once  took  the  bones  on  board,  and  these,  with  the  bones 
of  a  second  elephant,  enabled  us  to  steam  briskly  up  to  where 
wood  abounded.  The  Scythians,  according  to  Herodotus,  used 
the  bones*  of  the  animal  sacrificed  to  boil  the  flesh ;  the  Giiachos 


*  Ezek.  xxiv.,  5. 


MPAMABI  EXCITED. 


275 


of  South  America  do  the  same  when  they  have  no  fuel :  the  ox 
thus  boils  himself. 

November  18th.  —  A  pretty  little  woman  ran  away  from  her 
husband,  and  came  to  Mpamari.  Her  husband  brought  three 
hoes,  a  checked  cloth,  and  two  strings  of  large  neck  beads  to  re- 
deem her ;  but  this  old  fellow  wants  her  for  himself,  and  by  na- 
tive law  he  can  keep  her  as  his  slave-wife.  Slave-owners  make 
a  bad  neighborhood,  for  the  slaves  are  always  running  away,  and 
the  head  men  are  expected  to  restore  the  fugitives  for  a  bit  of 
cloth.  An  old  woman  of  Mpmari  fled  three  times ;  she  was 
cauglit  yesterday,  and  tied  to  a  post  for  the  young  slaves  to 
plague  her.  Iler  daughter  burst  into  an  agony  of  tears  on  seeing 
them  tying  her  mother,  and  Mpamari  ordered  her  to  be  tied  to 
the  mother's  back  for  crying.  I  interceded  for  her,  and  she  was 
let  go.  He  said,  "You  don't  care,  though  Syed  Majid  loses  his 
money."  I  replied,  "  Let  the  old  woman  go ;  she  will  be  off  again 
to-morrow."  But  they  can  not  bear  to  let  a  slave  have  freedom. 
I  do  not  understand  what  effect  his  long  prayers  and  prostrations 
toward  the  "  Kibla"  have  on  his  own  mind ;  they  can  not  affect 
the  minds  of  his  slaves  favorably,  nor  do  they  mine,  though  I  am 
as  charitable  as  most  people. 

November  19th.  —  I  prepared  to  start  to -da}',  but  Mohamad 
Bogharib  has  been  very  kind,  and  indeed  cooked  meals  for  me 
from  my  arrival  at  Casembe's,  May  6th  last,  till  we  came  here, 
October  22d  :  the  food  was  coarse  enough,  but  still  it  was  food  ; 
and  I  did  not  like  to  refuse  his  genuine  liospitality.  lie  now 
begged  of  me  not  to  go  for  three  days,  and  then  he  would  come 
along  with  me !  Mpamari  also  entreated.  I  would  not  have 
minded  him,  but  they  have  influence  with  the  canoe-men  on  Tan- 
ganyika, and  it  is  well  not  to  get  a  bad  name  if  possible. 

November  20th. — Mohamad  Bogharib  purposed  to  attack  two 
villages  near  to  thi.s,  from  an  idea  that  the  people  there  concealed 
his  runaway  slaves.  By  remaining  I  think  that  I  have  put  a 
stop  to  this,  as  he  did  not  like  to  pillage  while  I  was  in  company. 
Mpamari  also  turned  round  toward  peace,  though  he  called  all 
the  riff-raff  to  muster,  and  caracoled  among  them  like  an  old 
broken-winded  horse.  One  man  became  so  excited  with  yelling 
that  the  others  had  to  disarm  him,  and  he  then  fell  down  as  if  in 
a  fit :  water  poured  on  his  head  brought  him  to  calmness.  We 
go  on  the  22d. 

November  22(1  —  This  evening  the  Imbozhwa,  or  Babemba, 
came  at  dusk,  and  killed  a  Wanyamwezi  woman  on  one  side  of 
the  village,  and  a  woman  and  cliild  on  the  other  side  of  it.  I 


•276 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


took  this  to  be  the  result  of  the  warlike  demonstration  mention- 
ed above ;  but  one  of  Mohamad  Bogharib's  people,  named  Bin 
Juma,  had  gone  to  a  village  on  the  north  of  this  and  seized  two 
women  and  two  girls,  in  lieu  of  four  slaves  who  had  run  away. 
The  head  man,  resenting  this,  shot  an  arrow  into  one  of  Bin 
Juma's  party,  and  Bin  Juma  shot  a  woman  with  his  gun. 

This,  it  turned  out,  had  roused  the  whole  country,  and  next 
morning  we  were  assailed  by  a  crowd  of  Imbozhwa  on  three 
sides.  We  had  no  stockade,  but  the  men  built  one  as  fast  as  the 
enemy  allowed,  cutting  down  trees  and  carrying  them  to  the  line 
of  defense,  while  others  kept  the  assailants  at  bay  with  their 
guns.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  crowd  of  Banyamwezi  which  we 
have,  who  shot  vigorously  with  their  arrows,  and  occasionally 
chased  the  Imbozhwa,  we  should  have  been  routed.  I  did  not 
go  near  the  fighting,  but  remained  in  my  house  to  defend  my 
luggage  if  necessary.  The  women  went  up  and  down  the  vil- 
lage with  sieves,  as  if  winnowing,  and  singing  songs  and  lulliloo- 
ing,  to  encourage  their  husbands  and  friends  who  were  fighting: 
each  had  a  branch  of  the  Ficus  Tndica  in  her  hand,  which  she 
waved,  I  suppose  as  a  charm.  About  ten  of  the  Imbozhwa  are 
said  to  have  been  killed,  but  dead  and  wounded  were  at  once 
carried  off  by  their  countrymen.  They  continued  the  assault 
from  early  dawn  till  1  P.M.,  and  showed  great  bravery,  but  they 
wounded  only  two  with  their  arrows.  Their  care  to  secure  the 
wounded  was  admirable :  two  or  three  at  once  seized  the  fallen 
man,  and  ran  off  with  him,  though  pursued  by  a  great  crowd  of 
Banyamwezi  with  spears,  and  fired  at  by  the  Suaheli — Victoria- 
cross  fellows  truly  many  of  them  were !  Those  who  had  a  bunch 
of  animals'  tails,  with  medicine,  tied  to  their  waists,  came  sidling 
and  ambling  up  to  near  the  unfinished  stockade,  and  shot  their 
arrows  high  up  into  the  air,  to  fall  among  the  Wanyamwezi,  then 
picked  up  any  arrows  on  the  field,  ran  back,  and  returned  again. 
They  thought  that  by  the  ambling  gait  they  avoided  the  balls, 
and  when  these  whistled  past  them  they  put  down  their  heads, 
as  if  to  allow  them  to  pass  over:  they  had  never  encountered 
guns  before.  We  did  not  then  know  it,  but  Muabo,  Phuta, 
Ngurue,  Sandaruko,  and  Chapi  were  the  assailants,  for  we  found 
it  out  by  the  losses  each  of  these  five  chiefs  sustained. 

It  was  quite  evident  to  me  that  the  Suaheli  Arabs  were  quite 
taken  aback  by  the  attitude  of  the  natives.  Thc}"^  expected  them 
to  flee  as  soon  as  they  heard  a  gun  fired  in  anger;  but  instead 
of  this  we  were  very  nearly  being  cut  off,  and  should  have  been 
hut  for  our  Banyamwezi  allies.    It  is  fortunate  that  the  attacking 


THE  IMBOZHWA  ATTACK  THE  CAMP. 


277 


party  had  no  success  in  trying  to  get  Mpweto  and  Karembwe  to 
join  them  against  us,  or  it  would  have  been  more  serious  still. 

November  24:th.  —  The  Imbozhwa,  or  Babemba  rather,  came 
early  this  morning,  and  called  on  Mohamad  to  come  out  of  his 
stockade  if  he  were  a  man  who  could  fight;  but  the  fence  is  now 
finished,  and  no  one  seems  willing  to  obey  the  taunting  call.  I 
have  nothing  to  do  with  it,  but  feel  thankful  that  I  was  detained, 
and  did  not,  with  my  few  attendants,  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
justly  infuriated  Babemba.  They  kept  up  the  attack  to-day, 
and  some  went  out  to  them,  fighting  till  noon.  "When  a  man 
was  killed  and  not  carried  off,  the  Wanyamwezi  brought  his 
head  and  put  it  on  a  pole  on  the  stockade :  six  heads  were  thus 
placed.  A  fine  young  man  was  caught  and  brought  in  by  the 
Wanyamwezi ;  one  stabbed  him  behind,  another  cut  his  forehead 
with  an  axe.  I  called  in  vain  to  them  not  to  kill  him.  As  a 
last  appeal,  he  said  to  the  crowd  that  surrounded  him,  "Don't 
kill  me,  and  I  shall  take  you  to  where  the  women  are."  "  You 
lie," said  his  enemies;  "you  intend  to  take  us  where  we  may  be 
shot  by  your  friends ;"  and  they  killed  him.  It  was  horrible. 
I  protested  loudly  against  any  repetition  of  this  wickedness,  and 
the  more  sensible  agreed  that  prisoners  ought  not  to  be  killed ; 
but  the  Banyamwczi  are  incensed  against  the  Babemba  because 
of  the  women  killed  on  the  22d. 

November  2btli. — The  Babemba  kept  off  on  the  third  day,  and 
the  Arabs  are  thinking  it  will  be  a  good  thing  if  we  get  out  of 
the  country  unscathed.  Men  were  sent  off  on  the  night  of  the 
23d  to  Syde  bin  Uabib  for  powder  and  help.  Mohamad  Bo- 
j  gharib  is  now  unwilling  to  take  the  onus  of  the  war:  he  blames 
!  Mpamari,  and  Mpamari  blames  him.  I  told  Mohamad  that  the 
war  was  undoubtedly  his  work,  inasmuch  as  Bin  Juma  is  his 
man,  and  he  approved  of  his  seizing  the  women. 

He  does  not  like  this,  but  it  is  true ;  he  would  not  have  en- 
tered a  village  of  Casembe,  or  Moamba,  or  Chikumbi,  as  he  did 
Cbapi's  man's  village.  The  people  here  are  simply  men  of  more 
mettle  than  he  imagined,  and  his  folly  in  beginning  a  war  in 
which,  if  possible,  his  slaves  will  slip  through  his  hands,  is  ap- 
parent to  all,  even  to  himself.  Syde  sent  four  barrels  of  gun- 
powder and  ten  men,  who  arrived  during  last  night. 

November  27th. — Two  of  Muabo's  men  came  over  to  bring  on 
a  parley :  one  told  us  that  he  had  been  on  the  south  side  of  the 
village  before,  and  heard  one  man  say  to  another,  "  Afo  pige" 
(shoot  him).  Mpamari  gave  them  a  long  oration  in  exculpation, 
but  it  was  only  the  same  everlasting  story  of  fugitive  slaves. 


278 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


1 


The  slave-traders  can  not  prevent  tbem  from  escaping,  and  im- 
pudently think  that  the  country  people'ought  to  catch  them,  and 
thus  be  their  humble  servants,  and  also  the  persecutors  of  their 
own  countrymen  !  If  they  can  not  keep  them,  why  buy  them  ? 
why  put  their  money  into  a  bag  with  holes? 

It  is  exactly  what  took  place  in  America — slave-owners  are  bad 
neighbors  everywhere.  Canada  was  threatened,  England  brow- 
beaten, and  the  Northerners  all  but  kicked  on  the  same  score, 
and  all  as  if  property  in  slaves  had  privileges  which  no  other 
goods  have.  To  hear  the  Arabs  say  of  the  slaves  after  they  are 
fled,  "  Ob,  they  are  bad,  bad,  very  bad !"  (and  they  entreated  me 
too  to  free  them  from  the  yoke),  is,  as  the  young  ladies  say,  "  too 
absurd."  The  chiefs  a:lso  who  do  not  apprehend  fugitives,  they, 
too,  are  "  bad." 

I  proposed  to  Mohamad  Bogharib  to  send  back  the  women 
seized  by  Bin  Juma,  to  show  the  Babemba  that  he  disapproved 
of  the  act  and  was  willing  to  make  peace,  but  this  was  too  hu- 
miliating; I  added  that  their  price  as  slaves  was  four  barrels  of 
gunpowder,  or  one  hundred  and  sixty  dollars,  while  slaves  law- 
fully bought  would  have  cost  him  only  eight  or  ten  yards  of 
calico  each.  At  the  conclusion  of  Mpamari's  speech  the  four 
barrels  of  gunpowder  were  exhibited,  and  so  was  the  Koran,  to 
impress  them  (Muabo's  people)  with  an  idea  of  their  great  power. 

November  2Sth,  29th. — It  is  proposed  to  go  and  force  our  way, 
if  we  can,  to  the  north  ;  but  all  feel  that  that  would  be  a  fine  op- 
portunity for  the  slaves  to  escape,  and  they  would  not  be  loath 
to  embrace  it :  this  makes  it  a  serious  matter,  and  the  Koran  is 
consulted  at  hours  which  are  auspicious. 

November  BOi!}. — Messengers  sent  to  Muabo  to  ask  a  path,  or, 
in  plain  words,  protection  from  him:  Mpamari  protests  his  inno- 
cence of  the  whole  afl'air. 

December  1st,  1868. — Muabo's  people  over  again  ;  would  fain 
send  them  to  make  peace  with  Chapi ! 

December  2d. — The  detention  is  excessively  vexatious  to  me. 
Muabo  sent  three  slaves  as  offers  of  peace — a  fine  self-imposed, i 
but  he  is  on  our  south  side,  and  we  wish  to  go  north. 

December  Bd. — A  party  went  to-da}'  to  clear  the  way  to  the 
north,  but  were  warmly  received  by  Babemba  with  arrows:  tliey 
came  back  with  one  woman  captured,  and  they  say  that  they 
killed  one  man  :  one  of  themselves  is  wounded,  and  many  others 
in  danger:  others  who  went  east  were  shot  at,  and  wounded  too. 

December  4//i. — A  party  went  east,  and  were  fain  to  ilee  from 
the  Babemba;  the  same  thing  occurred  on  our  west,  and  to-dny 


NATIVE  SUPERSTITIONS. 


279 


(5tLi)  all  were  called  to  strengthen  the  stockade  for  fear  that  the 
enemy  may  enter  uninvited.  The  slaves  would  certainly  flee, 
and  small  blame  to  them  though  they  did.  Mpamari  proposed 
to  go  off  north  by  night ;  but  his  people  objected,  as  even  a  child 
crying  would  arouse  the  Babemba,  and  reveal  the  flight;  so 
finally  he  sent  off  to  ask  Syde  what  he  ought  to  do — whether  to 
retire  by  day  or  by  night;  probably  entreating  Syde  to  come 
and  protect  him. 

A  sort  of  idol  is  found  in  every  village  in  this  part;  it  is  of 
wood,  and  represents  the  features,  markings,  and  fashion  of  the 
hair  of  the  inhabitants:  some  have  little  huts  built  for  them,  oth- 
ers are  in  common  houses.  The  Babemba  call  them  Nkisi{"'  San- 
can"  of  the  Arabs):  the  people  of  Kua  name  one  Kcdubi,  the- plu- 
ral Tuluhi ;  and  they  present  pombe,  flour,  bhang,  tobacco,  and 
light  a  fire  for  them  to  smoke  by.  They  represent  the  departed 
father  or  mother,  and  it  is  supposed  that  they  are  pleased  with 
the  offei'ings  made  to  their  representatives,  but  all  deny  that  they 
pray  to  them.  Casembe  has  very  many  of  these  nkisi :  one, 
with  long  hair,  and  named  Motomho,  is  carried  in  front  when  he 
takes  the  field;  names  of  dead  chiefs  are  sometimes  given  to 
them.  I  have  not  met  with  any  one  intelligent  enough  to  ex- 
plain if  prayers  are  ever  made  to  any  one.  The  Arabs,  who 
know  their  language,  say  they  have  no  prt^yers,  and  think  that 
at  death  there  is  an  end  of  the  whole  man,  but  other  things  lead 
me  to  believe  this  is  erroneous.  Slaves  laugh  at  their  country- 
men, in  imitation  of  their  masters,  and  will  not  reveal  their  real 
thoughts.  One  said  that  they  believed  in  two  Superior  Beings — 
Reza  above,  who  kills  people,  and  Reza  below,  who  carries  them 
away  after  death. 

December  Gth.  —  Ten  of  Syde  bin  Ilabib's  people  came  over, 
bringing  a  letter,  the  contents  of  which  neither  ^Ipamari  nor 
Mohamad  care  to  reveal.    Some  think,  with  great  probability, 
that  he  asks,  "Why  did  you  begin  a  war  if  you  wanted  to  leave 
i     80  soon?    Did  you  not  know  that  the  country  people  would 
si  i  take  advantage  of  your  march,  encumbered  as  you  will  be  by 
women  and  slaves?"    Mohamad  Bogharib  called  mc  to  ask  what 
i     advice  I  could  give  him,  as  all  his  own  advice,  and  devices  too, 
W     had  been  lost,  or  were  useless,  and  he  did  not  know  what  to  do. 
in.     The  Banyamwczi  threatened  to  go  off  by  night  and  leave  him,  as 
s«P  they  are  incensed  against  the  liabcmba,  and  offended  because  the 
Arabs  do  not  aid  them  in  wreaking  their  vengeance  upon  them. 

I  took  care  not  to  give  any  advice,  but  said  if  I  had  been  or 
was  in  his  place,  I  would  have  sent,  or  would  send  back,  Bin 


•280 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Juma's  captives  to  show  that  I  disapproved  of  bis  act — the  first 
in  the  war — and  was  willing  to  make  peace  with  Chapi.  lie 
said  that  he  did  not  know  that  Bin  Juma  would  capture  these 
people ;  that  Bin  Juma  had  met  some  natives  with  fish,  and  took 
ten  by  force  ;  that  the  natives,  in  revenge,  caught  three  Banyam- 
wezi  slaves,  and  Bin  Juma  then  gave  one  slave  to  them  as  a  fine, 
but  Mohamad  did  not  know  of  this  afiiair  either.  I  am  of  opin- 
ion, however,  that  he  was  fully  aware  of  both  matters,  and 
Mpamari's  caracoling  showed  that  he  knew  it  all,  though  now  he 
denies  it. 

Bin  Juma  is  a  long,  thin,  lanky  Suaheli,  six  feet  two  high, 
with  a  hooked  nose  and  large  lips.  I  told  Mohamad  that  if  he 
were  to  go  with  us  to  Manyema,  the  whole  party  would  be  cut 
off.  He  came  here,  bought  a  slave -boy,  and  allowed  him  to 
escape ;  then  browbeat  Chapi's  man  about  *him  (and,  he  says, 
three  others)  ;  and  caught  ten  in  lieu  of  him,  of  which  Mohamad 
restored  six :  this  was  the  origin  of  the  war.  Now  that  we  are 
in  the  middle  of  it,  I  must  do  as  Mohamad  does  in  going  off  ei- 
ther by  day  or  by  night.  It  is  unreasonable  to  ask  m}'^  advice 
now,  but  it  is  felt  that  they  have  ver3^  unjustifiably  placed  me  in 
a  false  position,  and  they  fear  that  Syed  Majid  will  impute  blame 
to  them ;  meanwhile  Syde  bin  Habib  sent  a  private  message  to 
me  to  come  with  his  men  to  him,  and  leave  this  part}'. 

I  perceive  that  the  plan  now  is  to  try  and  clear  our  way  of 
Chapi,  and  then  march;  but  I  am  so  thoroughly  disgusted  with 
this  slave-war,  that  I  think  of  running  the  risk  of  attack  by  the 
country  people,  and  go  off  to-morrow  without  Mohamad  Bogharib, 
though  I  like  him  much  more  than  I  do  Mpamari  or  Syde  bin 
Habib.  It  is  too  glaring  hypocrisy  to  go  to  the  Koran  for  guid- 
ance while  the  stolen  women,  girls,  and  fish  are  in  Bin  Juma's 
hands, 

December  8th,  9th. — I  had  to  wait  for  the.  Banyamwezi  prepar- 
ing food :  Mohamad  has  no  authority  over  them,  or  indeed  over 
any  one  else.  Two  Babcmba  men  came  in  and  said  that  they 
had  given  up  fighting,  and  begged  for  their  wives,  who  had  been 
captured  by  Syde's  people  on  their  way  here.  This  reasonable 
request  was  refused  at  first,  but  better  counsels  prevailed,  and 
they  were  willing  to  give  something  to  appease  the  anger  of  the 
enemy,  and  sent  back  six  captives,  two  of  whom  were  the  wives 
prayed  for. 

[At  last  he  makes  a  start,  on  the  11th  of  December,  with  the 
Arabs,  who  are  bound  eastward  for  Ujiji.    It  is  a  motley  group, 


A  SET-IN  RAIN. 


281 


composed  of  Mohamad  and  bis  friends,  a  gang  of  Unyamwezi 
hangers-on,  and  strings  of  wretched  slaves  yoked  together  in  their 
heavy  slave-sticks.  Some  carry  ivory,  others  copper,  or  food  for 
the  march,  while  hope  and  fear,  misery  and  villainy,  may  be  read 
off  on  the  various  faces  that  pass  in  line  out  of  this  country,  like 
a  serpent  dragging  its  accursed  folds  away  from  the  victim  it  has 
paralyzed  with  its  fangs.] 

December  WiIl.  —  We  marched  four  hours  unmolested  by  the 
natives,  built  a  fence,  and  next  day  crossed  the  Lokinda  River 
and  its  feeder,  the  Mookosi :  here  the  people  belonged  to  Chisabi, 
who  had  not  joined  the  other  Baberaba.  We  go  between  two 
ranges  of  tree -covered  mountains,  which  are  continuations  of 
those  on  each  side  of  Moero. 

December  12th. — The  tiresome  tale  of  slaves  running  away  was 
repeated  again  last  night  by  two  of  Mpamari's  making  off,  though 
in  the  yoke,  and  they  had  been  with  him  from  boyhood.  Not 
one  good-looking  slave-woman  is  now  left  of  Mohamad  Bogharib's 
fresh  slaves :  all  the  pretty  ones  obtain  favor  by  their  address, 
beg  to  be  unyoked,  and  then  escape.  Four  hours  brought  us  to 
many  villages  of  Chisabi  and  the  camp  of  Syde  bin  Habib,  in  the 
middle  of  a  set-in  rain,  which  marred  the  demonstration  at  meet- 
ing with  his  relative,  Mpamari ;  but  the  women  braved  it  through, 
wet  to  the  skin,  and  danced  and  lullilooed  with  "draigled  "  petti- 
coats with  a  zeal  worthy  of  abetter  cause,  as  the  "penny-a-liners" 
say.  It  is  the  custom  for  the  trader  who  receives  visitors  to 
slaughter  goats,  and  feed  all  his  guests  for  at  least  two  days,  nor 
was  Syde  wanting  in  this  hospitality  ;  though,  the  set-in  rain  con- 
tinuing, we  did  not  enjoy  it  as  in  fine  weather. 

December  14th. — Cotton-grass  and  brackens  all  over  the  coun- 
try show  the  great  humidity  of  Mnriingu.  Eain  daily  ;  but  this 
is  not  the  great  rain  which  fills  when  the  sun  comes  back  south 
over  our  heads. 

December  loth. — March  two  hours  only  to  the  range  of  Tamba. 
A  pretty  little  light-gray  owl,  called  "  nkwckwd,"  was  killed  by 
a  native  as  food:  a  black  ring  round  its  face  and  its  black  ears 
gave  it  all  the  appearance  of  a  cat,  whose  habits  it  follows. 
I  December  16th-lSlh.—A  brother  of  Syde  bin  Habib  died  last 
night :  I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  leave  the  whole  party,  but 
Syde  said  that  Chi.sabi  was  not  to  be  trusted,  and  the  death  of 
his  brother  having  happened,  it  would  not  be  respectful  to  leave 
him  to  bury  his  dead  alone.  Six  of  his  slaves  fled  during  the 
night  —  one,  the  keeper  of  the  others.  A  Mobcmba  man,  who 
had  been  to  the  coast  twice  with  him,  is  said  to  have  wished  a 


I 


•282 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


woman  •who  was  in  the  chain,  so  he  loosed  five  out,  and  took  her 
off;  the  others  made  clean  heels  of  it,  and,  now  that  the  grass  is 
long  and  green,  no  one  can  trace  their  course. 

Syde  told  me  that  the  slaves  would  not  have  detained  him,  but 
his  brother's  death  did.  We  buried  the  youth,  who  has  been  ill 
three  months.  Mpamari  descended  into  the  grave  with  four  oth- 
ers. A  broad  cloth  was  hold  over  them  horizontally,  and  a  little 
fluctuation  made,  as  if  to  fan  those  who  were  depositing  the  body 
in  the  side  excavation  ma,de  at  the  bottom :  when  they  had  fin- 
ished they  pulled  in  earth,  and  all  shoved  it  toward  them  till  the 
grave  was  level :  Mullam  then  came  and  poured  a  little  water 
into  and  over  the  grave,  mumbled  a  few  prayers,  at  which  Mpa- 
mari said  aloud  to  me,  "  Mullam  does  not  let  his  voice  be  heard  ;" 
and  Mullam  smiled  to  me,  as  if  to  say,  "  Loud  enough  for  all  I 
shall  get."  During  the  ceremony  the  women  were  all  wailing 
loudly.  We-  went  to  the  usual  sitting-place,  and  shook  hands 
with  Syde,  as  if  receiving  him  back  agaiii  into  the  company  of 
the  living. 

Syde  told  me  previously  to  this  event  that  he  had  fought  the 
people  who  killed  his  elder  brother  Salem  bin  Habib,  and  would 
continue  to  fight  them  till  all  their  country  was  spoiled  and  a 
desolation :  there  is  no  forgiveness  with  Moslems  for  bloodshed. 
He  killed  many,  and  took  many  slaves,  ivory,  and  copper :  his 
tusks  number  over  two  hundred,  many  of  large  size. 

Decemher  19th,  20th, — To  Chisabi's  village  stockade,  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Lofunso,  which  flows  in  a  marshy  valley  three  miles 
broad.  Eight  of  Mohamad  Bogharib's  slaves  fled  by  night,  one 
with  his  gun  and  wife :  a  large  party  went  in  search,  but  saw 
nothing  of  them. 

To-day  an  elephant  was  killed,  and  they  sent  for  the  meat,  but 
Chisabi  ordered  the  men  to  let  his  meat  alone:  experience  at 
Kabwabwata  said,  "  Take  the  gentle  course ;"  so  two  fathoms  of 
calico  and  two  hoes  were  sent  to  propitiate  the  chief  Chisabi 
then  demanded  half  the  meat  and  one  tusk:  the  meat  was  given, 
but  the  tusk  was  mildly  refused :  he  is  but  a  youth,  and  this  is 
only  the  act  of  his  counselors.  It  was  replied  that  Casembe,  Chi- 
kumbi,  Nsama,  Mererd,  made  no  demand  at  all.  llis  counsel- 
ors have  probably  heard  of  the  Portuguese  self-imposed  law,  and 
wish  to  introduce  it  here,  but  both  tusks  were  secured. 

Decemher  22d. — We  crossed  the  Lofunso  River,  wading  three 
branches,  the  first  of  forty-seven  yards,  then  the  river  itself,  fifty 
yards,  and  neck-deep  to  men  and  women  of  ordinary  size.  Two 
were  swept  away  and  drowned  ;  other  two  were  rescued  by  men 


MORE  NEWS  CONCERNING  THE  RIVERS. 


283 


leaping  in  and  saving  them,  one  of  whom  was  my  man  Susi.  A 
crocodile  bit  one  person  badly,  but  was  struck  and  driven  off'. 
Two  slaves  escaped  by  night;  a  woman  loosed  her  husband's 
yoke  from  the  tree,  and  got  clear  off". 

December  24:th. — Five  sick  people  detain  us  to-day:  some  can 
not  walk  from  feebleness  and  purging,  brought  on  by  sleeping 
on  the  damp  ground  without  clothes. 

Syde  bin  Ilabib  reports  a  peculiar  breed  of  goats  in  Rua,  re- 
markably short  in  the  legs ;  so  much  so  that  they  can  not  travel 
far:  they  give  much  milk,  and  become  very  fat,  but  the  meat  is 
indifferent.  Gold  is  found  at  Katanga  in  the  pool  of  a  water-fall 
only  :  it  probably  comes  from  the  rocks  above  this.  His  account 
of  the  Lofu,  or,  as  he  says.  West  Lualaba,  is  identical  with  that 
of  his  cousin,  Syde  bin  Omar:  it  flows  north,  but  w^est  of  Lufira, 
into  the  Lake  of  Kinkonza,  so  named  after  the  chief  The  East 
Lualaba  becomes  very  large,  often  as  much  as  six  or  eight  miles 
broad,  with  many  inhabited  islands,  the  people  of  which,  being 
safe  from  invasion,  are  consequently  rapacious  and  dishonest,  and 
their  chiefs,  Moenge  and  Nyamakunda,  are  equally  lawless.  A 
hunter  belonging  to  Syde,  named  Kabwebwa,  gave  much  infor- 
mation gleaned  during  his  hunting  trips;  for  instance,  the  Lufira 
has  nine  feeders  of  large  size;  and  one,  the  Lekulwd,  has  also 
nine  feeders;  another,  the  Kisungu,  is  covered  with  "tikatika," 
by  which  the  people  cross  it,  though  it  bends  under  their  weight; 
he  also  ascribes  the  origin  of  the  Lufira  and  the  Lualaba  West, 
or  Lofu,  with  the  Liambai  to  one  large  earthen  mound,  which  he 
calls  "sogulo,"  or  an  ant-hill ! 

December 'loth. — Christmas-day.  We  can  bu}'  nothing  except 
the  very  coarsest  food — not  a  goat  or  fowl — while  Syde,  having 
plenty  of  copper,  can  get  all  the  luxuries.  We  marched  past 
Mount  Katanga,  leaving  it  on  our  left,  to  the  River  Kapcta,  and 
slaughtered  a  favorite  kid  to  make  a  Christmas  dinner.  A  trad- 
ing-party came  up  from  Ujiji :  they  said  that  we  were  ten  camps 
from  Tanganyika.  They  gave  an  erroneous  report  that  a  steam- 
er with  a  boat  in  tow  was  on  Lake  Chowambd — an  English  one, 
too,  with  plenty  of  cloth  and  beads  on  board.  A  letter  had  come 
from  Abdullah  bin  Salem,  Moslem  missionary  at  Mt&a's,  to  Ujiji 
three  months  ago  with  this  news. 

December  2Gth. — We  marched  up  an  ascent  two  hours  and  a 
half,  and  got  on  to  the  top  of  one  of  the  mountain  ridges,  whicli 
generally  run  tiortli  and  south.  Three  hours  along  this  level  top 
brought  us  to  the  Kibawc  River,  a  roaring  rivulet  beside  villages. 
There  were  no  people  on  the  height  over  which  we  came,  though 


284 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


the  country  is  very  fine — green  and  gay  witli  varying  shades  of 
that  color.  We  passed  through  patches  of  brackens  five  feet  high 
and  gingers  in  flower,  and  were  in  a  damp  cloud  all  day.  Now 
and  then  a  drizzle  falls  in  these  parts,  but  it  keeps  all  damp  only, 
and  does  not  show  in  the  rain-gauge.  Neither  sun  nor  stars  ap- 
pear. 

December  27th,  28th. — Kemain  on  Sunday,  then  march,  and  cross 
five  rivulets  about  four  yards  wide  and  knee-deep,  going  to  the 
Lofunso.  The  grass  now  begins  to  cover  and  hide  the  paths:  its 
growth  is  very  rapid :  blobs  of  water  lie  on  the  leaves  all  day, 
and  keep  the  feet  constantly  wet  by  falling,  as  we  pass. 

December  29th. — We  kept  well  on  the  ridge  between  two 
ranges  of  hills ;  then  went  down,  and  found  a  partially  burned 
native  stockade,  and  lodged  in  it :  the  fires  of  the  Ujiji  party  had 
set  the  huts  on  fire  after  the  party  left.  We  are  in  the  Itande 
district,  at  the  Nswiba  Eiver. 

December  BOth. — We  now  went  due  east,  and  made  a  good  deal 
of  easting  too  from  Mount  Katanga,  on  the  Lofunso,  and  crossed 
the  River  Lokivwa,  twelve  yards  wide,  and  very  deep,  with  vil- 
lages all  about.  We  ascended  much  as  we  went  east.  Very 
high  mountains  appeared  on  the  north-west.  The  woods  dark- 
green,  with  large  patches  of  a  paler  hue. 

December  Slst. — We  reached  the  Lofuko  yesterday  in  a  pelting 
rain.  Not  knowing  that  the  camp  with  huts  was  near,  I  stopped 
and  put  on  a  burnoose,  got  wet,  and  had  no  dry  clothes.  Eemain 
to-day  to  buy  food.  Clouds  cover  all  the  sky  from  north-west 
The  river,  thirty  yards  wide,  goes  to  Tanganyika  east  of  this. 
Scenery  very  lovely. 


THE  NEW  YEAR  OPENS  BADLY. 


285 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Bad  beginning  of  the  New  Year. — Dangerous  Illness. — Kindness  of  Arabs. — Com- 
plete Helplessness. — Arrive  at  Tanganyika.— The  Doctor  is  conveyed  in  Canoes. 
— Kasanga  Islet. — Cochin-China  Fowls. — Reaches  Ujiji. — Receives  some  Stores. 
— Plundering  Hands. — Slow  Recovery. — Writes  Dispatches. — Refusal  of  Arabs  to 
take  Letters. — Tliani  bin  Suellim. — A  Den  of  Slavers. — Puzzling  Current  in  Lake 
Tanganyika. — Letters  sent  off  at  last. — Contemplates  visiting  the  Manyuema. — 
Arab  Depredations. — Starts  for  new  Explorations  in  Manyuema,  July  12th,  1869. 
— Voyage  on  the  Lake. — Kabogo  East. — Crosses  Tanganyika. — Evil  Effects  of  last 
Illness. — Elephant-hunter's  Superstition. — Dugumbe'. — The  Lualaba  reaches  the 
Manyuema. — Sous  of  Moenekuss. — Sokos  first  heard  of. — Manyuema  Customs. — 
Illness. 

[The  new  year  opened  badly  enough ;  and  from  letters  he  wrote 
subsequently,  concerning  the  illness  which  now  attacked  him,  we 
gather  that  it  left  evils  behind  from  which  he  never  quite  recov- 
ered. The  following  entries  were  made  after  he  regained  suffi- 
cient strength,  but  we  see  how  short  they  necessarily  were,  and 
what  labor  it  was  to  make  the  jottings  which  relate  to  his  prog- 
ress toward  the  western  shore  of  Lake  Tanganyika.  He  was 
not  able  at  any  time  during  this  seizure  to  continue  the  minute 
maps  of  the  country  in  his  pocket-books,  which  for  the  first  time 
fail  here.] 

January  \st,  1869. — I  have  been  wet  times  without  number, 
but  the  wetting  of  yesterday  was  once  too  often  :  I  felt  very  ill, 
but  fearing  that  the  Lofuko  might  flood,  I  resolved  to  cross  it 
Cold  up  to  the  wai.st,  which  made  me  worse,  but  I  went  on  for 
two  and  a  half  hours  east. 

January  3d. — I  marched  one  hour,  but  found  I  was  too  ill  to 
go  farther.  Moving  is  always  good  in  fever ;  now  I  had  a  pain 
in  the  chest,  and  rust  of  iron  sputa  :  my  lung.s,  my  strongest  part, 
were  thus  affected.  We  crossed  a  rill  and  built  sheds,  but  I  lost 
count  of  the  days  of  the  week  and  month  after  this.  Very  ill  all 
over. 

A/jout  January  llh. — Can  not  walk:  Pneumonia  of  right  lung, 
and  I  cough  all  day  and  all  night :  sputa  ru.st  of  iron  and  bloody: 
distressing  weaknes.s.  Ideas  flow  through  the  mind  with  great 
rapidity  and  vividncs.^,  in  groups  of  twos  and  threes:  if  I  look  at 
any  piece  of  wood,  the  bark  seems  covered  over  with  figures  and 
faces  of  men,  and  they  remain,  though  I  look  away  and  turn  to 


•236 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


the  same  spot  again.  I  saw  myself  lying  dead  in  the  way  to 
Ujiji,  and  all  tlie  letters  I  expected  there  useless.  When  I  think 
of  my  children  and  friends,  the  lines  ring  through  my  head  per- 
petually : 

"I  shall  look  into  your  faces, 
And  listen  to  what  you  say, 
And  be  often  veiy  near  you 

When  you  think  I'm  far  away." 

Mohamad  Bogharib  came  up,  and  I  have  got  a  cupper,  who 
cupped  my  chest. 

January  8th,  9th. — Mohamad  Bogharib  offered  to  carry  me.  I 
am  so  weak  I  can  scarcely  speak.  We  are  in  Marungu  proper 
now — a  pretty  but  steeply-undulating  country.  This  is  the  first 
time  in  my  life  I  have  been  carried  in  illness,  but  I  can  not  raise 
myself  to  the  sitting  posture.  No  food  except  a  little  gruel. 
Great  distress  in  coughing  all  night  long;  feet  swelled,  and  sore. 
I  am  carried  four  hours  each  day  on  a  kitauda,  or  frame,  like  a 
cot;  carried  eight  hours  one  day.  Then  sleep  in  a  deep  ravine. 
Next  day  six  hours,  over  volcanic  tuftx — very  rough.  We  seem 
near  the  brim  of  Tanganyika.  Sixteen  days  of  illness.  May  be 
23d  of  January  ;  it  is  the  5th  of  the  lunar  month.  Country  very 
undulating ;  it  is  perpetually  up  and  down.  Soil  red,  and  rich 
knolls  of  every  size  and  form.  Trees  few.  Erythrinas  abound  ; 
so  do  elephants.  Carried  eight  hours  yesterday  to  a  chief's  vil- 
lage. Small  sharp  thorns  hurt  the  men's  feet,  and  so  does  the 
roughness  of  the  ground.  Though  there  is  so  much  slope,  water 
does  not  run  quickly  off  Marungu.  A  compact  mountain-range 
flanks  the  undulating  country  through  which  we  passed,  and  may 
stop  the  water  flowing.  Mohamad  Bogharib  is  very  kind  to  me 
in  my  extreme  weakness;  but  carriage  is  painful:  head  down 
and  feet  up  alternates  with  feet  down  and  head  up ;  jolted  up 
and  down  and  sideways  —  changing  shoulders  involves  a  toss 
from  one  side  to  the  other  of  the  kitanda.  The  sun  is  vertical, 
blistering  any  part  of  |,he  skin  exposed,  and  I  try  to  shelter  my 
face  and  head  as  well  as  I  can  witli  a  bunch  of  leaves,  but  it  is 
dreadfidly  fatiguing  in  my  weakness. 

I  had  a  severe  relapse  after  a  very  hot  day.  INfoharnad  gave 
me  medicines;  one  was  a  sharp  purgative,  the  others  intended  for 
the  cure  of  the  cough. 

February  lith,  1869.  —  Arrived  at  Tanganyika.  Parra  is  the 
name  of  the  land  at  the  confluence  of  the  River  Lofuko:  Syde 
bin  Ilabib  had  two  or  throe  large  canoes  at  this  place.  Our 
beads  were  nearly  done,  so  I  sent  to  Syde  to  say  that  all  tlie 


VOYAGE  TO  UJIJI. 


287 


Arabs  had  served  me  except  himself.  Thani  bin  Suallim,  by  his 
letter,  was  anxious  to  send  a  canoe  as  soon  as  I  reached  the  Lake, 
and  the  only  service  I  wanted  of  Syde  was  to  inform  Thani,  by 
one  of  his  canoes,  that  I  was  here  very  ill,  and  if  I  did  not  get  to 
Ujiji  to  get  proper  food  and  medicine  I  should  die  :  Thani  would 
send  a  canoe  as  soon  as  he  knew  of  my  arrival,  I  was  sure.  He 
replied  that  he  too  would  serve  me,  and  sent  some  flour  and  two 
fowls :  he  w.ould  come  in  two  days  and  see  what  he  could  do  as 
to  canoes. 

February  \btli. — The  cough  and  chest-pain  diminished,  and  I 
feel  thankful :  my  body  is  greatly  emaciated.  Syde  came  to-day, 
and  is  favorable  to  sending  me  up  to  Ujiji.  Thanks  to  the  Great 
Father  in  heaven. 

February  —  We  had  remarkably  little  rain  these  two 
months. 

February  2bth.—l  extracted  twenty  funy's,  an  insect  like  a  mag- 
got, whose  eggs  had  been  inserted  on  my  having  been  put  into 
an  old  house  infested  by  them:  as  they  enlarge  they  stir  about, 
and  impart  a  stinging  sensation ;  if  disturbed,  the  head  is  drawn 
in  a  little.  When  a  poultice  is  put  on  they  seem  obliged  to  come 
out,  possibly  from  want  of  air:  they  can  be  pressed  out,  but  the 
large  pimple  in  which  they  live  is  painful:  they  were  chiefly  in 
my  limbs. 

February  26lh.  —  Embark,  and  sleep  at  Katonga,  after  seven 
hours'  paddling. 

February  27th. — Went  one  hour  and  three-quarters  to  Bondo, 
or  Thcmbwe,  to  buy  food.  Shore  very  rough,  like  shores  near 
Caprera,  but  here  all  is  covered  with  vegetation.  We  were  to 
cross  to  Kabogo,  a  large  mass  of  mountains  on  the  eastern  side, 
but  the  wind  was  too  high. 

February  28///. — Syde  sent  food  back  to  his  slaves. 

March  2d,  1869. — Waves  still  high,  so  we  got  off  only  on  the 
3d,  at  half-past  1  A.M.,  six  hours  and  a  half,  and  came  to  M.  Bo- 
gharib,  who  cooked  bountifully. 

March  6th.— 5  P.M.  Off  to  Toloka  Bay— three  hours ;  left  at 
6  A.M.,  and  came,  in  four  hours,  to  Uguha,  which  is  on  the  west 
side  of  Tanganyika. 

March  7th. — Left  at  6  P.M.,  and  y^ent  on  till  two  canoes  ran  on 
rocks  in  the  way  to  Kasanga  Islet.  Rounded  a  point  of  land,  and 
made  for  Kasanga  with  a  storm  in  our  teeth ;  fourteen  hours  in 
all.  We  were  received  by  a  young  Arab  Muscat,  who  dined  us 
sumptuously  at  noon.  There  arc  seventeen  islets  in  the  Kasanga 
group. 


288 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUBNALS. 


March  8th. — On  Kasanga  Islet.  Cochin-cbina  fowls*  and  Mus- 
covy ducks  appear,  and  plenty  of  a  small  milkless  breed  of  goats. 
Tanganyika  has  many  deep  bays,  running  in  four  or  five  miles : 
they  are  choked  up  with  aquatic  vegetation,  through  which  canoes 
can  scarcely  be  propelled.  When  the  bay  has  a  small  rivulet  at 
its  head  the  water  in  the  bay  is  decidedly  brackish,  though  the  riv- 
ulet be  fresh :  it  made  the  Zanzibar  people  remark  on  the  Lake 
water,  "It  is  like  that  we  get  near  the  sea-shore — a  little  salt 
but  as  soon  as  we  get  out  of  the  shut-in  bay,  or  lagoon,  into  the 
Lake  proper,  the  water  is  quite  sweet,  and  shows  that  a  current 
flows  through  the  middle  of  the  Lake  lengthways. 

Patience  was  never  more  needed  than  now:  I  am  near  Ujiji, 
but  the  slaves  who  paddle  are  tired,  and  no  wonder.  They  keep 
up  a  roaring  song  all  through  their  work  night  and  day.  I  ex- 
pect to  get  medicine,  food,  and  milk  at  Ujijij'but  dawdle  and  do 
nothing.  »I  have  a  good  appetite,  and  sleep  well;  these  are  the 
favorable  symptoms  ;  but  am  dreadfully  thin,  bowels  irregular, 
and  I  have  no  medicine.  Sputa  increases;  hope  to  hold  out  to 
Ujiji.    Cough  worse.    Hope  to  go  to-morrow. 

March  9th. — The  whydah  birds  have  at  present  light  breasts 
and  dark  necks.    Zahor  is  the  name  of  our  young  Arab  host. 

March  lllh. — Go  over  to  Kibize  Islet,  one  hour  and  a  half  from 
Kasanga.  Great  care  is  taken  not  to  encounter  foul  weather: 
we  go  a  little  way,  then  wait  for  fair  wind  in  crossing  to  east  side 
of  Lake. 

March  12th. — People  of  Kibiz^  dress  like  those  in  Eua,  with 
cloth  made  of  the  muabe,  or  wild-date  leaves ;  the  same  is  used 
in  Madagascar  for  the  "laniba."f  Their  hair  is  collected  up  to 
the  top  of  the  head. 

From  Kibize  Islet  to  Kabogo  River,  on  east  side  of  Lake,  ten 
hours:  sleep  there.  Syde  slipped  past  us  at  night,  but  we  made 
up  to  him  in  four  hours  next  morning. 

March  l%th. — At  Eombole :  we  sleep,  then  on. 

[At  last  he  reached  the  great  Arab  settlement  at  Ujiji,  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  Tanganyika.  It  was  his  first  visit,  but  he  had 
arranged  that  supplies  should  be  forwarded  thither  by  caravans 
bound  inland  from  Zanzibar.  Most  unfortunately,  his  goods 
were  made  away  with  in  all  directions,  not  only  on  this,  but  on 
several  other  occasions.    The  disappointment  to  a  man  shatter- 


*  On  showiiif;  Chuma  and  Siisi  some  immense  Cochin-China  fowls  at,  n  ponltrv  show, 
they  said  that  they  were  not  larger  tliaii  those  which  Ilicy  saw  w  licii  with  Dr.  Living- 
stone on  these  islands.    Musrovy  ducks  abound  throughout  Central  Africa. —  Kd. 

t  The  natural  dress  of  the  Malagash. 


SLOW  BECOVERY  AT  UJIJL 


289 


ed  in  health,  and  craving  for  letters  and  stores,  must  have  been 
severe  indeed.] 

March  14:(h. — Go  past  Malagarazi  River,  and  reach  Ujiji  in 
three  hours  and  a  half.  Found  Haji  Thani's  agent  in  charge  of 
rav  remaining  goods.  Medicines,  wine,  and  cheese  had  been  left 
at  Unyanyembe,  thirteen  days  east  of  this.  Milk  not  to  be  had, 
as  the  cows  had  not  calved  ;  but  a  present  of  Assam  tea  from  Mr. 
Black,  the  inspector  of  the  Peninsular  and  Oriental  Company's  af- 
fairs, had  come  from  Calcutta,  besides  my  own  coffee  and  a  little 
sugar.  I  bought  butter  (two  large  pots  are  sold  for  two  fathoms 
of  blue  calico),  and  four -year -old  flour,  with  which  we  made 
bread.  I  found  great  benefit  from  the  tea  and  coffee,  and  still 
more  from  flunsel  to  the  skin. 

March  loth. — Took  account  of  all  the  goods  left  by  the  plun- 
derer ;  sixty-two  out  of  eighty  pieces  of  cloth  (each  of  twenty- 
four  yards)  were  stolen,  and  most  of  my  best  beads.  The  road  to 
Unyeinbc*  is  blocked  up  by  a  Mazita  or  Watuta  war,  so  I  must 
wait  till  the  governor  there  gets  an  opportunity  to  send  them. 
The  Musa  sent  with  the  buflfiiloes  is  a  genuine  specimen  of  the 
ill-conditioned  English-hating  Arab.  I  was  accosted,  on  arriving, 
by,  "  You  must  give  me  five  dollars  a  month  for  all  my  time ;" 
this  though  he  had  brought  nothing — the  buffaloes  all  died — and 
did  nothing  but  receive  stolen  goods.  I  tried  to  make  use  of 
him  to  go  a  mile  every  second  day  for  milk,  but  he  shammed 
sickness  so  often  on  that  day  I  had  to  get  another  to  go ;  then  he 
made  a  regular  practice  of  coming  into  my  house,  watching  what 
my  two  attendants  were  doing,  and  going  about  the  village  with 
distorted  statements  against  them. 

I  clothed  him,  but  he  tried  to  make  bad  blood  between  the  re- 
spectable Arab  who  supplied  me  with  milk  and  myself,  telling 
him  that  I  abused  him,  and  then  he  would  come  back,  saj-ing 
that  he  abused  me!  I  can  account  for  his  conduct  only  by  at- 
tributing it  to  that  which  we  call  ill-conditioned:  I  had  to  expel 
him  from  the  house. 

I  repaired  a  house  to  keep  out  the  rain,  and  on  the  23d  moved 
into  it.  I  gave  our  Kasanga  host  a  cloth  and  blanket :  he  is  ill 
of  pneumonia  of  both  lungs. 

March  28th. — Flannel  to  the  skin  and  tea  very  beneficial  in  the 
cure  of  my  disease ;  my  cough  has  ceased,  and  I  walk  half  a  mile. 
I  am  writing  letters  for  home. 


*  The  same  as  Unyanyembe,  the  half-wny  settlement  on  ilie  great  caravan  rond 
from  the  coast  to  the  interior. 


290 


LinXGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


April  8th,  1869.  —  Visited  Moene  Mokaia,  who  sent  me  two 
fowls  and  rice  ;  gave  him  two  cloths.    He  added  a  sheep. 

April  ISth. — Employed  Suleiman  to  write  notes  to  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Un^'embe,  Syde  bin  Salem  Burashid,  to  make  inquiries 
about  the  theft  of  my  goods,  as  I  meant  to  apply  to  Syed  Majid, 
and  wished  to  speak  truly  about  his  man  Musa  bin  Salem,  the 
chief  depredator. 

Wrote  also  to  Thani  for  boat  and  crew  to  go  down  Tangan- 
yika. 

Syde  bin  Habib  refused  to  allow  his  men  to  carry  my  letters 
to  the  coast,  as  he  suspected  that  I  would  write  about  his  doings 
in  Rua. 

Ajn-il  Syde  had  . three  canoes  smashed  in  coming  up  past 

Thembwe;  the  wind  and  waves  drove  them  on  the  rocks,  and 
two  were  totally  destroyed  :  they  are  heavy,  unmanageable  craft, 
and  at  the  mercy  of  any  storm  if  they  can  not  get  into  a  shut 
bay,  behind  the  reeds  and  aquatic  vegetation.  One  of  the  wrecks 
is  said  to  have  been  worth  two  hundred  dollars  (£40). 

The  season  called  Masika  commenced  this  month  with  the 
usual  rolling  thunder,  and  more  rain  than  in  the  month  preced- 
ing. 

I  have  been  busy  writing  letters  home,  and  finished  fortj^-two, 
which  in  some  measure  will  make  up  for  ray  long  silence.  The 
Ujijians  are  unwilling  to  carry  my  letters,  because,  they  say, 
Syed  Majid  will  order  the  bearer  to  return  with  others :  he  may 
say,  "You  know  where  he  is,  go  back  to  him;''  but  I  suspect 
they  fear  my  exposure  of  their  ways  more  than  any  thing  else.* 

3/i(/j  16th,  1869. — Thani  bin  Suellim  sent  me  a  note  yesterday 
to  say  that  he  would  be  here  in  two  days,  or  say  three  ;  he  seems 
the  most  active  of  the  Ujijians,  and  I  trust  will  help  me  to  get  a 
canoe  and  men. 

The  malachite  at  Katanga  is  loosened  by  fire,  then  dug  out 
of  four  hills  :  four  manehs  of  the  ore  yield  one  maneh  of  copper; 
but  those  who  cultivate  the  soil  get  more  wealth  than  those  who 
mine  the  copper. 

[No  change  of  purpose  was  allowed  to  grow  out  of  sickness 
and  disappointment.  Here  and  there,  as  in  the  words  written  on 
the  next  day,  we  find  Livingstone  again  with  his  back  turned  to 
the  coast  and  gazing  toward  the  land  of  the  ^lanyuema  and  the 
great  rivers  reported  there.] 


*  These  letters  must  have  lieen  destroyed  purposely  by  the  Arabs,  for  tlu-y  never  ar- 
rived at  Zanzibar. — Ed. 


COMPVLSOEY  ABOLITIOK 


291 


2fay  17th. — Syde  bin  Habib  arrived  to-day  with  his  cargo  of 

copper  and  slaves.    I  have  to  change  house  again,  and  wish  I 

were  away,  now  that  I  am  getting  stronger.  Attendants  arrive 
from  Parra  or  Mparra. 

[The  old  slave -dealer,  whom  he  met  at  Casembe's,  and  who 
seems  to  have  been  set  at  liberty  througli  Livingstone's  instru- 
mentality, arrives  at  Ujiji  at  last.] 

Mcvj  18</i.— Mohamad  bin  Saleh  arrived  to-day.  He  left  this 
when  comparatively  young,  and  is  now  well  advanced  in  years. 

The  Bakatala  at  Lualaba  West  killed  Salem  bin  Ilabib.  J/em. 
— Keep  clear  of  them.  Makwamba  is  one  of  the  chiefs  of  the 
rock -dwellers,  Ngulu  is  another,  and  Masika-Kitobwe  on  to 
Baluba.    Sef  attacked  Kilolo  N'tambwc. 

19th. — The  emancipation  of  our  West  Indian  slaves  was 
the  work  of  but  a  small  number  of  the  people  of  England — the 
philanthropists  and  all  the  more  advanced  thinkers  of  the  age. 
Numerically  they  were  a  very  small  minority  of  the  population, 
and  powerful  only  from  the  superior  abilities  of  the  leading  men, 
and  from  having  the  right,  the  true,  and  just  on  their  side.  Of 
the  rest  of  the  population  an  immense  number  were  the  indiffer- 
ent, who  had  no  sympathies  to  spare  for  any  beyond  their  own 
fireside  circles.  In  the  course  of  time  sensation  writers  came  up 
on  the  surface  of  society,  and  by  way  of  originality  they  con- 
demned almost  every  measure  and  person  of  the  past.  "Eman- 
cipation was  a  mistake;"  and  these  fast  writers  drew  along  with 
them  a  large  body,  who  would  fain  be  slave-holders  themselves. 
We  must  never  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that,  though  the  majority 
perhaps  are  on  the  side  of  freedom,  large  numbers  of  Englishmen 
are  not  slave-holders  only  because  the  law  forbids  the  practice. 
In  tiiis  proclivity  we  see  a  great  part  of  the  reason  of  the  frantic 
sympathy  of  thousands  with  the  rebels  in  the  great  Black  war  in 
America.  It  is  true  that  we  do  sympathize  with  brave  men, 
though  we  may  not  approve  of  the  objects  for  which  they  fight. 
We  admired  Stonewall  Jackson  as  a  modern  type  of  Cromwell's 
Ironsides  ;  and  we  praised  Lcc  for  his  generalship,  which,  after 
all,  was  chiefly  con.spicuous  by  the  absence  of  commanding  abili- 
ties in  his  opponents ;  but  unquestionably  there  existed,  besides, 
an  eager  desire  that  slavocracy  might  prosper,  and  the  Negro 
go  to  the  wall.  The  would-be  slave-holders  showed  their  lean- 
ings unmistakably  in  reference  to  the  Jamaica  outbreak  ;  and 
many  a  would-bc  Colonel  Ilobbs,  in  lack  of  revolvers,  dipped  his 
pen  in  gall  and  railed  against  all  niggers  who  could  not  be  made 


•292  LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUENALS. 

slaves.  "We  wonder  what  they  thought  of  their  hero,  when  in- 
formed that,  for  very  shame  at  what  he  had  done  and  v/ritten,  he 
had  rushed  unbidden  out  of  the  world. 

3fa)/  26th. — Thani  bin  Suellim  came  from  Unyanyembe  on 
the  20th.  He  is  a  slave  who  has  risen  to  freedom  and  influence ; 
he  has  a  disagreeable  outward  squint  of  the  right  eye,  teeth  pro- 
truding from  the  averted  lips,  is  light-colored,  and  of  the  nervous 
type  of  African.  He  brought  two  light  boxes  from  Unyemb^ 
and  charged  six  fathoms  for  one  and  eight  fathoms  for  the  oth- 
er, though  the  carriage  of  both  had  been  paid  for  at  Zanzibar. 
"When  I  paid  him  he  tried  to  steal,  and  succeeded  with  one  cloth 
by  slipping  it  into  the  hands  of  a  slave.  I  gave  him  two  cloths 
and  a  double  blanket  as  a  present.  He  discovered  afterward, 
what  he  knew  before,  that  all  had  been  injured  by  the  wet  on 
the  way  here,  and  sent  two  back  openly,  which  all  saw  to  be  an 
insult.  He  asked  a  little  coffee,  and  I  gave  a  plateful ;  and  he 
even  sent  again  for  more  coffee  after  I  had  seen  reason  to  resent 
his  sending  back  my  present.  I  replied,  "  He  won't  send  coffee 
back,  for  I  shall  give  him  none."  In  revenge  he  sends  round  to 
warn  all  the  Ujijians  against  taking  my  letters  to  the  coast :  this 
is  in  accordance  with  their  previous  conduct,  for,  like  the  Kilwa 
people  on  the  road  to  Nyassa,  they  have  refused  to  carry  my  cor- 
respondence. 

This  is  a  den  of  the  worst  kind  of  slave-traders;  those  whom 
I  met  in  Urungu  and  Itawa  were  gentlemen  slavers :  the  Ujiji 
slavers,  like  the  Kilwa  and  Portuguese,  are  the  vilest  of  the  vile. 
It  is  not  a  trade,  but  a  system  of  consecutive  murders;  they  go 
to  plunder  and  kidnap,  and  every  trading-trip  is  nothing  but  a 
foray.  Moene  Mokaia,  the  head  man  of  this  place,  sent  canoes 
through  to  Nzige;  and  his  people,  feeling  their  prowess  among 
men  ignorant  of  guns,  made  a  regular  assault,  but  were  repulsed, 
and  the  whole,  twenty  in  number,  were  killed.  Moene  Mokaia  is 
now  negotiating  with  Syde  bin  Habib  to  go  and  revenge  this  for 
.so  much  ivory,  and  all  he  can  get  besides.  Syde,  by  trying  to 
revenge  the  death  of  Salem  bin  Haibib,  his  brother,  on  the  Baka- 
tala,  has  blocked  up  one  part  of  the  country  against  me,  and  will 
})robably  block  Nzige ;  for  I  can  not  get  a  message  sent  to  Cho- 
wambe  by  an}-  one,  and  may  have  to  go  to  Karagwe  on  foot,  and 
then  from  liumanyika  down  to  this  water. 

[In  reference  to  the  above,  we  may  add  that  there  is  a  vocabu- 
lary of  Masai  words  at  the  end  of  a  niemorandum-book.  Living- 
stone compiled  this  with  the  idea  that  it  would  prove  useful  on 
iiis  w:iy  toward  the  coast,  should  he  eventually  pass  through  the 


A  PROBLEM  TO  BE  SOLVED. 


293 


Masai  country.  No  doubt  some  of  the  Arabs  or  their  slaves 
knew  the  language,  and  assisted  him  at  his  work.] 

May  2Wi.  —  Many  people  went  off  to  Unyembe,  and  their 
houses  were  untenanted  ;  I  wished  one,  as  I  was  in  a  lean-to  of 
Zahor's,  but  the  two  head  men  tried  to  secure  the  rent  for  them- 
selves, and  were  defeated  by  Mohamad  bin  Saleh.  I  took  my 
packet  of  letters  to  Thani,  and  gave  two  cloths  and  four  bunches 
of  beads  to  the  man  who  was  to  take  them  to  Unj'anyetnbe ;  an 
hour  afterward,  letters,  cloths,  and  beads  were  returned :  Thani 
said  he  was  afraid  of  English  letters ;  he  did  not  know  what  was 
inside.  I  had  sewed  them  up  in  a  piece  of  canvas  ;  that  was  sus- 
picious, and  he  would  call  all  the  great  men  of  Ujiji  and  ask  them 
if  it  would  be  safe  to  take  them  ;  if  they  assented,  he  would  call 
for  the  letters;  if  not,  he  would  not  send  them.  I  told  Mohamad 
bin  Saleh,  and  he  said  to  Thani  that  he  and  I  were  men  of  the 
Government,  and  orders  had  come  from  Syed  Majid  to  treat  me 
with  all  respect:  was  this  conduct  respectful?  Thani  then  sent 
for  the  packet ;  but  whether  it  will  reach  Zanzibar  I  am  doubtful. 
I  gave  the  rent  to  the  owner  of  the  house,  and  went  into  it  on 
May  31st.  They  are  nearly  all  miserable  Suaheli  at  Ujiji,  and 
have  neither  the  manners  nor  the  sense  of  Arabs. 

[We  see,  in  the  next  few  lines,  how  satisfied  Livingstone  was 
concerning  the  current  in  the  Lake  :  he  almost  wishes  to  call  Tan- 
ganyika a  river.  Here,  then,  is  a  problem  left  for  the  future  ex- 
plorer to  determine.  Although  the  doctor  proved  hy  experi- 
ments, during  his  lengthy  stay  at  Ujiji,  that  the  set  is  toward  the 
north,  his  two  men  get  over  the  difficulty  thus :  "  If  vou  blow 
upon  the  surface  of  a  basin  of  water  on  one  side,  you  will  cause 
the  water  at  last  to  revolve  round  and  round  ;  so  with  Tanganyika, 
the  prevailing  winds  produce  a  .similar  circulation."  Tliey  feel 
certain  there  is  no  outlet,  because  at  one  time  or  another  they 
virtually  completed  the  survey  of  the  coast- line,  and  listened  to 
native  testimony  besides.  How  the  phenomenon  of  sweet  water 
is  to  be  accounted  for  we  do  not  pretend  to  say.  The  reader 
will  see  farther  on  that  Livingstone  grapples  witii  the  difficnlty 
which  this  lake  affords,  and  propounds  an  exceedingly  clever 
theory.] 

Tanganyika  has  encroached  on  the  Ujiji  side  upward  of  a  mile, 
and  the  bank,  which  was,  in  the  memory  of  men  now  living,  gar- 
den ground,  is  covered  with  about  two  fathoms  of  water.  In 
this  Tanganyika  resembles  most  other  rivers  in  tin's  country,  as 
the  Upper  Zambesi,  for  instance,  which  in  the  Barotse  country 

20 


294 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


has  been  wearing  eastward  for  the  last  thirty  years :  this  lake, 
or  river,  has  worn  eastward  too. 

June  Istj  1869. — I  am  thankful  to  feel  getting  strong  asain. 
and  wish  to  go  down  Tanganyika,  but  can  not  get  men:  two 
months  must  elapse  ere  we  can  face  the  long  grass  and  supera- 
bundant water  in  the  way  to  Manyuema. 

The  green  scum  which  forms  on  still  water  in  this  country  is 

^  of  vegetable  origin— confervas.   When  the  rains 

^sf^^  f^ill  they  swell  the  lagoons,  and  the  scum  is  swept 

"^i^'-^K.  ^'^^  Lake ;  here  it  is  borne  along  by  the  cur- 

^'^■^'VX    ^'^"^         south  to  north,  and  arranged  in  long 
^^-VK,   lines,  whicli  bend  from  side  to  side  as  the  water 
Lmes  of  green  scum.  ^^^^^^^  north  -  north  -  wcst  or  north- 

north-east,  and  not  driven,  as  here,  by  the  winds,  as  plants  float- 
ing above  the  level  of  the  water  would  be. 

June  1th. — It  is  remarkable  that  all  the  Ujiji  Arabs  who  have 
any  opinion  on  the  subject  believe  that  all  the  water  in  tlie  north, 
and  all  the  water  in  the  south,  too,  flows  into  Tanganyika,  but 
where  it  then  goes  they  have  no  conjecture.  They  assert,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  that  Tanganyika,  Usige  water,  and  Loanda  are  one 
and  the  same  piece  of  river. 

Thani,  on  being  applied  to  for  men  and  a  canoe  to  take  me 
down  this  line  of  drainage,  consented,  but  let  me  know  that  his 
people  would  go  no  farther  than  Uvira,  and  then  return.  He 
subsequently  said  Usigd,  but  I  wished  to  know  what  I  was  to  do 
when  left  at  the  very  point  where  I  should  be  most  in  need.  He 
replied,  in  his  silly  way,  "My  people  are  afraid;  they  won't  go 
farther;  get  country  people,"  etc.  Moenegher^  sent  men  to  Lo- 
anda to  force  a  passage  through,  but  his  people  were  repulsed, 
and  twenty  killed. 

Three  men  came  yesterday  from  Afokarnba,  tlie  greatest  chief 
in  Usigd,  with  four  tusks  as  a  present  to  liis  friend  Moenegher^, 
and  asking  for  canoes  to  be  sent  down  to  the  end  of  Urundi  coun- 
try to  bring  butter  and  other  things,  wliich  the  three  men  could 
not  bring:  this  »seems  an  opening,  for  Mokamba  being  Moene- 
gherc's  friend,  I  shall  prefer  paying  Moenegherd  for  a  canoe  to 
being  dependent  on  Thani's  skulkers.  If  the  way  beyond  Mo- 
kamba is  blocked  up  by  the  fatal  skirmish  referred  to,  I  can  go 
from  Mokamba  to  Rumanyika,  three  or  four  or  more  daj's  dis- 
tant, and  get  guides  from  liim  to  lead  me  back  to  the  main  river 
beyond  Loanda,  and  by  this  plan  only  three  days  of  the  stream 
will  be  passed  over  unvisited.  Tliani  would  evidently  like  to 
receive  the  payment,  but  without  securing  to  me  the  object  fur 


FUTURE  PLANS. 


295 


which  I  pay.  He  is  a  poor  thing,  a  slaveliiig:  Syed  Majid, 
Sheik  Suleiman,  and  Koroje  have  all  written  to  him,  urging  an 
assisting  deportment  in  vain :  I  never  see  him  but  he  begs  some- 
thing, and  gives  nothing:  I  suppose  he  expects  me  to  beg  from 
him.    I  shall  be  guided  by  Moeneghere. 

I  can  not  find  any  one  who  knows  where  the  outflow  of  the 
unvisited  Lake  south-west  of  this  goes;  some  think  that  it  goes 
to  the  Western  Ocean,  or,  I  should  say,  the  Congo.  Mohamad 
Bogharib  goes  in  a  month  to  Manyuema,  but  if  matters  turn  out 
as  I  wish,  I  may  explore  this  Tanganyika  line  first.  One  who 
has  been  in  Manyuema  three  times,  and  was  of  the  first  party 
that  ever  went  there,  says  that  the  Manyuema  are  not  cannibals, 
but  a  tribe  west  of  them  eats  some  parts  of  the  bodies  of  those 
slain  in  war.  Some  people  south  of  Moenekuss,*  chief  of  Man- 
yuema, build  strong  clay  houses. 

June  22cZ. — After  listening  to  a  great  deal  of  talk,  I  have  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  I  had  better  not  go  with  Moeneghere's  peo- 
ple to  Mokarnba.  I  see  that  it  is  to  be  a  mulcting,  as  in  Speke's 
case:  I  am  to  give  largely,  though  I  am  not  thereby  assured  of 
getting  down  the  river.  They  say,  "  You  must  give  much,  be- 
cause you  are  a  great  man :  Mokarnba  will  say  so,"  though  Mo- 
kamba  knows  nothing  about  me!  It  is  uncertain  whether  I  can 
get  down  through  by  Loanda,  and  great  risk  would  be  run  in 
going  to  those  who  cut  olf  the  party  of  Moeneghere;  so  I  have 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  will  be  better  for  me  to  go  to  Man- 
yuema about  a  fortnight  hence,  and,  if  possible,  trace  down  the 
western  arm  of  the  Nile  to  the  north — if  this  arm  is  indeed  that 
of  the  Nile,  and  not  of  the  Congo.  Nobody  here  knows  any  thing 
about  it,  or,  indeed,  about  the  eastern  or  Tanganyika  line  either; 
they  all  confess  that  they  have  but  one  question  in  their  minds 
in  going  anywhere;  they  ask  for  ivory,  and  for  nothing  else,  and 
each  trip  ends  as  a  foray.  Moeneghere's  last  trip  ended  disas- 
trously, twenty-six  of  his  men  being  cut  off;  in  extenuation,  he 
says  that  it  was  not  his  war  but  Mokamba's:  he  wished  to  be  al- 
lowed to  go  down  through  Loanda;  and  as  the  people  in  front 
of  Mokamba  and  Usige  own  his  supremacy,  he  said,  "Send  your 
force  with  mine,  and  let  us  open  the  way  ;"  so  they  went  on  land, 
and  were  killed.  An  attempt  was  made  to  induce  Syde  bin  Ilabib 
to  clear  the  way,  and  be  paid  in  ivory ;  but  Syde  likes  to  battle 
with  those  who  will  soon  run  away,  and  leave  the  spoil  to  him. 


*  It  is  curious  tliat  iliis  iinnic  ocpiirs  iimonR  tlie  Zulu  ti  ilics  soutli  of  the  Zntnhesi, 
and,  as  it,  has  no  vowul  at  tiie  end,  iipiiears  to  be  of  allogclliei'  foreign  origin. — Ed. 


296 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUBNALS. 


The  Manyuema  are  said  to  be  friendly  where  they  have  not 
been  attacked  by  Arabs.  A  great  chief  is  reported  as  living  on  a 
large  river  flowing  northward :  I  hope  to  make  my  way  to  him, 
and  I  feel  exhilarated  at  the  thought  of  getting  among  people  not 
spoiled  by  contact  with  Arab  traders.  I  w^ould  not  hesitate  to 
run  the  risk  of  getting  through  Loanda,  the  continuation  of  Usigc 
beyond  Mokamba's,  had  blood  not  been  shed  so  very  recently 
there ;  but  it  would  at  present  be  a  great  danger,  and  to  explore 
some  sixty  miles  of  the  Tanganyika  line  only.  If  I  return  hith- 
er from  Manyuema,  my  goods  and  fresh  men  from  Zanzibar  will 
have  arrived,  and  I  shall  be  better  able  to  judge  as  to  the  course 
to  be  pursued  after  that.  Mokamba  is  about  twenty  miles  bej^ond 
Uvira :  the  scene  of  Moeneghere's  defeat  is  ten  miles  beyond  Mo- 
kamba ;  so  the  unexplored  part  can  not  be  o.ver  sixty  miles,  say 
thirty,  if  we  take  Baker's  estimate  of  the  southing  of  his  water  to 
be  near  the  truth. 

Salem  or  Palamotto  told  me  that  he  was  sent  for  by  a  head 
man  near  to  this  to  fight  his  brother  for  him :  he  went  and  de- 
manded prepayment;  then  the  brother  sent  him  three  tusks  to 
refrain  :  Salem  took  them,  and  came  home.  The  Africans  have 
had  hard  measures  meted  out  to  them  in  the  world's  history  I 

June  28th. — The  current  in  Tanganyika  is  well  marked  when 
the  lighter-colored  water  of  a  river  flows  in  and  does  not  at  once 
mix:  the  Luishe  at  Ujiji  is  a  good  example;  and  it  shows,  by 
large  light  greenish  patches  on  the  surface,  a  current  of  nearly  a 
mile  an  hour  north.  It  begins  to  flow  about  February,  and  con- 
tinues running  north  till  November  or  December.  Evaporation 
on  three  hundred  miles  of  the  south  is  then  at  its  strongest,  and 
water  begins  to  flow  gently  south  till  arrested  by  the  flood  of 
the  great  rains  there,  which  takes  place  in  February  and  March. 
There  is,  it  seems,  a  reflux  for  about  three  months  in  each  year, 
flow  and  reflow  being  the  effect  of  the  rains  and  evaporation  on  a 
lacustrine  river  of  some  three  hundred  miles  in  length  lying  south 
of  the  equator.  The  flow  northward  I  have  myself  observed,  that 
again  southward  rests  on  native  testimony;  and  it  was  elicited 
from  the  Arabs  by  pointing  out  the  northern  current :  they  at- 
tributed the  southern  current  to  the  cffoct  of  the  wind,  which  they 
say  then  blows  south.  Being  cooled  bv  the  rains,  it  comes  south 
into  the  hot  valley  of  this  great  riverein  lake,  or  lacustrine  river. 

In  going  to  Moenekuss,  the  paramount  chief  of  the  Manyuema, 
forty  days  are  required.  The  head  men  of  trading-parties  re- 
main with  this  chief  (who  is  said  by  all  to  be  a  very  good  man), 
and  send  their  people  out  in  all  directions  to  trade.  Moenemo- 


CURIOUS  FISHES.— CANOE  PURCHASED. 


297 


gaia  sajs  that,  in  going  due  north  from  Moenekuss,  they  come  to 
a  large  river,  the  Robumba,  which  flows  into,  and  is  the  Luama, 
and  that  this  again  joins  the  Lualaba,  which  retains  its  name  af- 
ter flowing,  with  the  Lufira  and  Lofu,  into  the  still  unvisited  lake 
south-south-west  of  this  :  it  goes  thence  due  north,  probably  into 
Mr.  Baker's  part  of  the  eastern  branch  of  the  Nile.  When  I  have 
gone  as  far  north  along  Lualaba  as  I  can  this  year,  I  shall  be  able 
to  judge  as  to  the  course  I  ought  to  take  after  receiving  my  goods 
and  men  from  Zanzibar,  and  may  the  Highest  direct  me,  so  that 
I  may  finish  creditably  the  woik  I  have  undertaken.  I  propose 
to  start  for  Manyuema  on  the  3d  of  July. 

The  dagala,  or  nsipe,  a  small  fish  caught  in  great  numbers  in 
every  flowing  water,  and  very  like  white-bait,  is  said  to  emit  its 
eggs  by  the  mouth,  and  these  immediately  burst,  and  the  young 
fish  manasres  for  itself.    The  dagala  never  becomes  larger  than 

o  o  o 

two  or  three  inches  in  length.  Some,  putrefied,  are  bitter,  as  if 
the  bile  were  in  them  in  a  good  quantity.  I  have  eaten  them 
in  Lunda  of  a  pungent  bitter  taste,  probably  arising  from  the 
food  on  which  the  fish  feeds.  Men  say  that  they  have  seen  the 
eggs  kept  in  the  sides  of  the  mouth  till  ready  to  go  off  as  inde- 
pendent fishes.  The  nghedc-dege,  a  species  of  perch,  and  anoth- 
er, the  ndusi,  are  said  to  do  the  same.  The  Arabs  imagine  that 
fish  in  general  fall  from  the  skies ;  but  they  except  the  shark, 
because  they  can  see  the  young  when  it  is  cut  open. 

July  lOlh,  18G9. — After  a  great  deal  of  delay  and  trouble  about 
a  canoe,  we  got  one  from  llabee  for  ten  dotis,  or  foi  ty  yards  of 
calico,  and  a  doti,  or  four  yards,  to  each  of  nine  paddlers,  to  bring 
the  vessel  back.  Thani  and  Zahor  blamed  me  for  not  taking 
their  canoes  for  nothing;  but  they  took  good  care  not  to  give 
them,  but  made  vague  offers,  which  meant,  "We  want  much 
higher  pay  for  our  dhows  than  Arabs  generally  get:"  they  show- 
ed such  an  intention  to  fleece  me  that  I  was  glad  to  get  out  of 
their  power,  and  save  the  few  goods  I  had.  I  went  a  few  miles, 
when  two  strangers  I  had  allowed  to  embark  (from  being  under 
obligations  to  their  masters)  worked  against  each  other :  .so  I  had 
to  let  one  land,  and  but  for  his  master  would  have  dismissed  the 
other.  I  had  to  send  an  apology  to  the  landed  man's  master  for 
politeness'  sake. 

[It  is  necessary  to  say  a  few  words  here,  so  unostentatiously  does 
Livingstone  introduce  this  new  series  of  explorations  to  the  read- 
er. Tlie  Manyuema  country,  for  wiiich  hp  set  out  on  the  12th  of 
July,  18()9,  was  liitherto  unknown.  As  we  follow  him,  we  .sliall 
sec  that  in  almost  every  respect  both  the  face  of  the  country  and 


298 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUllXALS. 


the  people  differ  from  other  regions  lying  nearer  to  the  East 
Coast.  It  appears  that  the  Arabs  had  an  inkling  of  the  vast 
quantities  of  ivory  which  might  be  procured  there,  and  Living- 
stone went  into  the  new  field  with  the  foremost  of  those  hordes 
of  Ujijian  traders,  who,  in  all  probability,  will  eventually  destroy 
tribe  after  tribe  by  slave-trading  and  pillage,  as  they  have  done 
in  so  many  other  regions.] 

Off  at  6  A.M.,  and  passed  the  mouth  of  the  Luishe,  in  Kibwd 
Bay:  three  hours  and  a  half  took  us  to  Rombola  or  Lombola, 
where  all  the  building  wood  of  Ujiji  is  cut. 

e/i</y  12ih. — Left  at  1.30  a.m.,  and  pulled  seven  hours  and  a 
half  to  the  left  bank  of  the  Malagarasi  River.  We  can  not  go 
by  day,  because  about  11  a.m.  a  south-west  wind  commences  to 
blow,  which  the  heavy  canoes  can  not  face;  it  often  begins  earlier 
or  later,  according  to  the  phases  of  the  moon.  An  east  wind 
blows  from  sunrise  till  10  or  11  A.M.,  and  the  south-west  begina 
The  Malagarasi  is  of  considerable  size  at  its  confluence,  and  has 
a  large  islet  covered  with  eschinomena,  or  pith-hat  material,  grow- 
ing in  its  way. 

Were  it  not  for  the  current,  Tanganyika  would  be  covered 
with  green  scum,  now  rolling  away  in  miles  of  length  and 
breadth  to  the  north ;  it  would  also  be  salt,  like  its  shut-in  bays. 
The  water  has  now  fallen  two  feet  perpendicularly.  It  took  us 
twelve  hours  to  ascend  to  the  Malagarasi  River  from  Ujiji,  and 
only  seven  to  go  down  that  distance.  Prodigious  quantities  of 
confervae  pass  us  day  and  night  in  slow,  majestic  flow.  It  is  call- 
ed shuard  But  for  the  current,  Tanganyika  would  be  covered 
with  "tikatika"  too,  like  Victoria  Nyanza. 

July  13th. — Off  at  3.15  A.M.,  and  in  five  hours  reached  Kabogo 
River;  from  this  point  the  crossing  is  alwaj's  accomplished:  it  is 
about  thirty  miles  broad.  Tried  to  get  off  at  6  P.M.,  but  after 
two  miles  the  south  wind  blew ;  and  as  it  is  a  dangerous  wind, 
and  the  usual  one  in  storms,  the  men  insisted  on  coming  back, 
for  the  wind,  having  free  scope  along  the  entire  southern  length 
of  Tanganyika,  raises  waves  perilous  to  their  heavy  craft:  alter 
this  the  clouds  cleared  all  away,  and  the  wind  died  off  too;  the 
full  moon  shone  brightly,  and  this  is  usually  accompanied  by 
calm  weather  here.    Storms  occur  at  new  moon  most  frequently. 

JitJy  14th. — Sounded  in  dark  water,  opposite  the  high  mount- 
ain Kabogo,  three  hundred  and  twenty  -  six  fathoms;  but  my 
line  broke  in  coming  up,  and  we  did  not  see  the  armed  end  of 
tlie  sounding-lead  with  sand  or  mud  on  it:  this  is  one  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  sixty-five  feet. 


HE  CROSSES  THE  LAKE. 


299 


People  awaking  in  fright  utter  most  unearthly  yells,  and  they 
are  joined  in  them  by  all  who  sleep  near.  The  first  imagines 
himself  seized  by  a  wild  beast,  the  rest  roar  because  they  hear  him 
doing  it:  this  indicates  the  extreme  of  helpless  terror. 

July  loth. — After  pulling  all  night,  we  arrived  at  some  islands 
and  cooked  breakfast;  then  we  went  on  to  Kasenge  Islet,  on 
their  south,  and  came  up  to  Mohamad  Bogharib,  who  had  come 
from  Tongwe,  and  intended  to  go  to  Manyuema.  We  cross  over 
to  the  main-land,  that  is,  to  the  western  shore  of  the  Lake,  about 
three  hundred  yards  off,  to  begin  our  journey  on  the  21sL  Lunars 
on  20th.    Delay  to  prepare  food  for  journey.    Lunars  again  22d. 

A  strong  wind  from  the  east  to-day.  A  current  sweeps  round 
this  islet  Kis(^nge  from  north-east  to  south-east,  and  carries  trees 
and  duck-weed  at  more  than  a  mile  an  hour,  in  spite  of  the  breeze 
blowing  across  it  to  the  west.  The  wind  blowing  along  the 
Lake  either  way,  raises  up  water,  and  in  a  calm  it  returns  olF  the 
shore.  Sometimes  it  causes  the  current  to  go  southward.  Tan- 
ganyika narrows  at  Uvira  or  Vira,  and  goes  out  of  sight  among 
the  mountains  there;  then  it  appears  as  a  water-fall  into  the 
Lake  of  Quando,  seen  by  Banyamwezi. 

July  2Bd. — I  gave  a  cloth  to  be  kept  for  Kasanga,  the  chief  of 
Kasenge,  who  has  gone  to  fight  with  the  people  of  Goma. 

Augmt  1st,  1869. — Mohamad  killed  a  kid  as  a  sort  of  sacrifice, 
and  they  pray  to  Hadrajee  before  eating  it.  The  cookery  is  of 
their  very  best,  and  I  always  get  a  share.  I  tell  them  that  I  like 
the  cookery,  but  not  the  prayers,  and  it  is  taken  in  good  part. 

August  2d. — We  embarked  from  the  isl(;t,  and  got  over  to  the 
main-land,  and  slept  in  a  hooked-thorn  copse,  with  a  species  of 
black-pepper  plant,  which  we  found  near  the  top  of  Mount  Zomba, 
in  the  Manganja  country,*  in  our  vicinity :  it  shows  humidity  of 
climate. 

August  Bd. — Marched  three  hours  and  a  quarter  south,  along 
Tanganyika,  in  a  very  undulating  country:  very  fi\tiguing,  in 
my  weakness.  Passed  many  screw-palms,  and  slept  at  Lobamba 
village. 

August  Ath. — A  relative  of  Kasanga  engaged  to  act  as  our 
guide,  so  we  remained  waiting  for  him,  and  ernplo^^ed  a  Banyam- 
wezi smith  to  make  copper  balls  with  some  bars  of  that  metal 
presented  by  Sydc  bin  ITabib.  A  lamb  was  stolen,  and  all  de- 
clared that  the  deed  must  have  been  done  by  Banyamwezi.  "At 
Giiha  people  never  steal ;"  and  I  believe  this  is  true. 


♦  III  18.TO. 


300 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


August  7th. — The  guide  having  arrived,  we  marched  two  hours 
and  a  quarter  west,  and  crossed  the  River  Logumba,  about  forty 
yards  broad  and  knee-deep,  with  a  rapid  current  between  deep 
cut  banks :  it  rises  in  the  western  Kabogo  range,  and  flows  about 
south-west  into  Tanganyika.  Much  dura,  or  Holms  sorghum^  is 
cultivated  on  the  rich  alluvial  soil  on  its  banks  by  the  Guha 
people. 

August  8th. — West,  through  open  forest;  very  undulating,  and 
the  path  full  of  angular  fragments  of  quartz.  We  see  mountains 
in  the  distance. 

August  Qth,  10th. — Westward  to  Makhato's  village,  and  met  a 
companj'  of  natives  beating  a  drum  as  they  came  near:  this  is 
the  peace  signal;  if  war  is  meant,  the  attack  is  quiet  and  stealthy. 
There  are  plenty  of  masuko-trees  laden  with  fruit,  but  unripe. 
It  is  cold  at  night,  but  dry,  and  the  people  sleep  with  onl\^  a  fence 
at  their  heads ;  but  I  have  a  shed  built  at  every  camp,  as  a  pro- 
tection for  the  loads,  and  sleep  in  it. 

Any  ascent,  though  gentle,  makes  me  blow  since  the  attack  of 
pneumonia;  if  it  is  inclined  to  an  angle  of  45°,  a  hundred  or  a 
hundred  and  fifty  yards  make  me  stop  to  pant  in  distress. 

August  11th. — Came  to  a  village  of  Ba  Rua,  surrounded  by  hills 
of  some  two  hundred  feet  above  the  plain  ;  trees  sparse. 

August  12th,  ISth.  —  At  villages  of  Mekheto.  Guha  people. 
Remain  to  buy  and  prepare  food,  and  because  many  are  sick. 

August  16//;. — West  and  by  north  through  much  forest,  and 
reach  Kalalibebe;  buffalo  killed. 

August  17th. — To  a  high  mountain,  Golu  or  Gulu,  and  sleep  at 
its  base. 

August  18th.  —  Cross  two  rills  flowing  into  River  Mgoluyd. 
Kagoya  and  I\[oishe  flow  into  Lobumba. 

August  19ih. — To  the  River  Lobumba,  forty-five  yards  wide, 
thigh-deep,  and  rapid  current.  Logumba  and  Lobumba  are  both 
from  Kabogo  mounts :  one  goes  into  Tanganyika,  and  the  other, 
or  Lobumba,  into,  and  is,  the  Luamo:  prawns  are  found  in  this 
river.  The  country  east  of  the  Lobumba  is  called  Lobanda,  that 
west  of  it,  Kitwa. 

August  21st.  —  Went  on  to  the  River  Loungwa,  which  has 
worn  for  itself  a  rut  in  new  red  sandstone  twenty  feet  deep,  and 
only  three  or  four  feet  wide  at  the  lips. 

August  2bih. — We  rest  because  all  are  tired;  traveling  at  this 
season  is  excessively  fatiguing.  It  is  very  hot  at  even  10  a.m., 
and  two  and  a  half  or  three  hours  tires  the  strongest  —  car- 
riers especially  so:  during  the  rains  five  hours  would  not  have 


HIXTS  TO  HUXT£I!:S. 


301 


filtigued  so  much  as  three  do  now.  We  are  now  on  the  same 
level  as  Tanganyika.  The  dense  mass  of  black  smoke  rising 
from  the  burning  grass  and  reeds  on  the  Lobumba,  or  Robumba, 
obscures  the  sun,  and  very  sensibly  lowers  the  temperature  of  the 
sultriest  day:  it  looks  like  the  smoke  in  Martin's  pictures.  The 
Manyuema  arrows  here  are  very  small,  and  made  of  strong  grass 
stalks,  but  poisoned ;  the  large  ones,  for  elephants  and  buffaloes, 
are  poisoned  also. 

August  Slst.  —  Course  north-west,  among  palmyras  and  hy- 
phen6  palms,  and  many  villages  swarming  with  people.  Crossed 
Kibila,  a  hot  fountain  about  120°,  to  sleep  at  Kolokolo  River, 
five  yards  wide,  and  knee-deep:  midway  we  passed  the  River 
Kanzazala.  On  asking  the  name  of  a  mountain  on  our  right,  I 
got  three  names  for  it — Kaloba,  Chingedi,  and  Kihomba — a  fair 
specimen  of  the  superabundance  of  names  in  this  country! 

Sqdemher  1st,  1869.  —  West,  in  flat  forest,  then  cross  Kishila 
River,  and  go  on  to  Kunde's  villages.  The  Katamba  is  a  fine 
rivulet.  Kunde  is  an  old  man,  without  digiiity  or  honor:  he 
came  to  beg,  but  offered  nothing. 

September  2d.  —  We  remained  at  Katamba  to  hunt  buffaloes 
and  rest,  as  I  am  still  weak.  A  young  elephant  was  killed,  and 
I  got  the  heart:  the  Arabs  do  not  eat  it,  but  that  part  is  nice  if 
well  cooked. 

A  Lunda  slave,  for  whom  I  interceded  to  be  freed  of  the  yoke, 
ran  away  ;  and  as  ho  is  near  the  Barna,  his  countrymen,  he  will  be 
hidden.  lie  told  his  plan  to  our  guide,  and  asked  to  accompany 
him  back  to  Tanganyika,  but  he  is  eager  to  deliver  him  up  for  a 
reward :  all  are  eager  to  press  each  other  down  in  the  mire  into 
which  they  are  already  sunk. 

September  bth. — Kunde's  people  refused  the  tusks  of  an  elephant 
killed  by  our  hunter,  asserting  that  they  had  killed  it  tliemselves 
with  a  hoe:  they  have  no  honor  here  as  some  have  elsewhere. 

S'ptember  1th. — West  and  north-west,  through  forest  and  im- 
mense fields  of  cas.sava,  some  three  3'ears  old,  with  roots  as  thick 
as  a  stout  man's  leg. 

September  Sth. — Across  five  rivers  and  tlirougli  many  villages. 
The  country  is  covered  with  ferns  and  gingers,  and  miles  and 
miles  of  cassava.    On  to  village  of  Karungamagao. 

September  9lh. — Rest  again  to  shoot  meat,  as  elephants  anil  buf- 
faloes arc  very  abundant.  "^I'lie  Snaheli  think  that  adultery  is  an 
obstacle  to  success  in  killing  this  animal:  no  harm  can  happen  to 
him  who  is  faith  fid  to  his  wife,  and  has  the  proper  charms  insert- 
ed under  the  .skin  of  iiis  fon^arnis. 


I 


302 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUBXALS. 


September  10th. — North  and  north-west,  over  four  rivers,  and 
past  the  village  of  Makala,  to  near  that  of  Pyana-mosinde. 

September  12th.  —  We  had  wandered,  and  now  came  back  to 
our  path  on  hilly  ground.  Tbe  days  are  sultry  and  smoking. 
We  came  to  some  villages  of  Pyana-raosinde;  the  population 
prodigiously  large.  A  sword  was  left  at  the  camp,  and  at  once 
picked  up  :  though  the  mari  was  traced  to  a  village,  it  was  re- 
fused, till  he  accidentally  cut  his  foot  with  it,  and  became  afraid 
that  worse  would  follow  :  elsewhere  it  would  have  been  given 
up  at  once.    Pyana-mosinde  came  out,  and  talked  very  sensibly. 

September  IMh.  —  Along  toward  the  Moloni  or  Mononi;  cross 
seven  rills.  The  people,  seized  three  slaves  who  lagged  behind, 
but  hearing  a  gun  fired  at  guinea-fowls,  let  them  go.  Koute 
north. 

September  14<A. — Up  and  down  hills  perpetually.  We  went 
down  into  some  deep  dells,  filled  with  gigantic  trees,  and  I  meas- 
ured one  twenty  feet  in  circumference,  and  sixty  or  seventy  feet 
high  to  the  first  branches;  others  seemed  fit  to  be  ship's  spars. 
Large  lichens  covered  many,  and  numerous  new  plants  appeared 
on  the  ground. 

September  15th. — Got  clear  of  the  mountains  after  an  hour  and 
a  half,  and  then  the  vast  valley  of  Mamba  opened  out  before  us; 
very  beautiful,  and  much  of  it  cleared  of  trees.  Met  Dugumb^ 
carrying  eighteen  thousand  pounds  of  ivory,  purchased  in  this 
new  field  very  cheaply,  because  no  traders  had  ever  gone  into 
the  country  beyond  Bambarre,  or  Moenekuss's  district  before. 
We  were  now  in  the  large  bend  of  the  Lualaba,  which  is  here 
much  larger  than  at  Mpw^to's,  near  Aloero  Luke.  Kivor  Ke- 
singwc. 

September  IGth.  —  To  Kasangangazi's.  We  now  came  to  the 
first  palm-oil-trees  {Elms  guineensis)  in  our  way  since  we  left 
Tanganyika.  They  had  evidently  been  planted  at  villngos. 
Light-gray  parrots,  with  red  tails,  also  became  common,  whose 
name,  kuss  or  koos,  gives  the  chief  his  name,  Moenckuss  ("Lord 
of  the  Parrot");  but  the  Manyucma  pronunciation  is  Monan- 
joose.  Much  reedy  grass,  fully  half  an  inch  in  diameter  in  the  , 
stalk,  on  our  route,  and  over  the  top  of  the  range  ^loloni,  which 
we  ascended  :  the  vallej's  are  impassable. 

September  17 ih. — Kemain  to  buy  food  at  Kasanga's,  and  rest 
the  carriers.  Tlie  country  is  full  of  palm-oil  palms,  and  very 
beautiful.  Our  jieople  are  all  afraid  to  go  out  of  sight  of  the 
camp  for  necessary  purposes,  lest  the  Manyucma  should  kill  them. 
Uei'c  was  the  barrier  to  traders  going  north,  for  the  very  people 


THE  PATHS  SKILLFULLY  PLACED. 


303 


among  whom  we  now  are  murdered  any  one  carrying  a  tusk,  till 
last  year,  when  Moene-mokaia,  or  Katomba,  got  into  friendship 
with  Moenekuss,  who  protected  his  people,  and  always  behaved 
in  a  generous,  sensible  manner.  Dilongo,  now  a  chief  here,  came 
to  visit  us :  his  elder  brother  died,  and  he  was  elected ;  he  does 
not  wash  in  consequence,  and  is  very  dirty. 

Two  buffaloes  were  killed  yesterday.  The  people  have  their 
bodies  tattooed  with  new  and  full  moons,  stars,  crocodiles,  and 
Egyptian  gardens. 

September  19/A.— We  crossed  several  rivulets  three  to  twelve 
yards  wide,  and  calf-deep.  The  mountain  where  we  camped  is 
called  Sangomelambe. 

September  20th. — Up  to  a  broad  range  of  high  mountains  of 
light  gray  granite;  there  are  deep  dells  on  the  top  filled  with 
gigantic  trees,  and  having  running  rills  in  them.  Some  trees  ap- 
pear with  enormous  roots — buttresses,  in  fact — like  mangroves  in 
the  coast  swamps,  six  feet  high  at  the  trunk,  and  flattened  from 
side  to  side  to  about  three  inches  in  diameter.  Tlaere  are  many 
villages  dotted  over  the  slopes  which  we  climbed:  one  had  been 
destroyed,  and  revealed  the  hard  clay  walls  and  square  forms  of 
Manyucma  houses.  Oar  path  lay  partly  along  a  ridge,  with  a 
deep  valley  on  each  side:  one  on  the  left  had  a  valley  filled  with 
primeval  forests,  into  which  elephants,  when  wounded,  escape 
completely.  The  forest  was  a  dense  mass,  without  a  bit  of 
ground  to  be  seen,  except  a  patch  on  the  south-west.  The  bot- 
tom of  this  great  valley  was  two  thousand  feet  below  us ;  then 
ranges  of  mountains,  with  villages  on  their  bases,  rose  as  far  as 
they  could  reach.  On  our  right  there  was  another  deep  but  nar- 
row gorge,  and  mountains  much  higher  than  on  our  ridge  close 
adjacent.  Our  ridge  looked  like  a  glacier,  and  it  wound  from 
side  to  side,  and  took  us  to  the  edge  of  deep  precipices,  first  on 
the  right,  then  on  the  left,  till  down  below  we  came  to  the  vil- 
lages of  Chief  Monandenda.  The  houses  here  are  all  well  filled 
with  fire-wood  on  shelves,  and  each  has  a  bed  on  a  rai.sed  plat- 
form in  an  inner  room. 

The  paths  arc  very  skillfully  placed  on  the  tops  of  the  ridges 
of  hill-s,  and  all  gullies  are  avoided.  If  the  highest  level  were 
not  in  general  made  the  ground  for  passing  through  the  country, 
the  distances  would  at  least  be  doubled,  and  the  fatigue  greatly 
increased.  The  paths  seem  to  have  been  used  for  ages:  they 
are  worn  deep  on  the  heights;  and  in  hollows  a  little  mound 
rises  on  each  side,  formed  by  the  feet  to.ssing  a  little  soil  on  one 
side. 


304 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


September  21st. — Cross  five  or  six  rivulets,  and  as  many  vil- 
lages, some  burned  and  deserted,  or  inhabited.  Very  many  peo- 
ple come  running  to  see  the  strangers.  Gigantic  trees  all  about 
the  villages.    Airive  at  Bambarre  or  Moenekuss. 

O 

About  eighty  hours  of  actual  traveling,  say  at  2'  per  hour  = 
say  160'  or  140'.  Westing  from  August  3d  to  September  21?t. 
My  strength  increased  as  I  persevered.  From  Tanganyika,  west 
bank,  say  = 

29°  30'  east-140'r=2°  20', 

2°  20^ 
27°  10'  long, 
chief  village  of  Moenekuss. 

Observations  show  a  little  lower  altitude  than  Tanganvika. 

September  Tld. — Moenekuss  died  lately,  aqd  left  his  two  sons 
to  fill  his  place.  Moenembagg  is  the  elder  of  the  two,  and  the 
most  sensible,  and  the  spokesman  on  all  important  occasions,  but 
his  younger  brother,  Moenemgoi,  is  the  chief,  the  centre  of  au- 
thority. They  showed  symptoms  of  suspicion,  and  Mohamad, 
performed  the  ceremony  of  mixing  blood,  which  is  simply  mak- 
ing a  small  incision  on  the  forearm  of  each  person,  and  then  mix- 
ing the  bloods,  and  making  declarations  of  friendship.  Moenem- 
bagg said,  "Your  people  must  not  steal;  we  never  do,"  which  is 
true:  blood  in  a  small  quantity  was  then  conveyed  from  one  to 
the  other  by  a  fig-leaf  "  No  stealing  of  fowls  or  of  men,"  said 
the  chief:  "Catch  the  thief  and  bring  him  to  me;  one  who  steals 
a  person  is  a  pig,"  said  Mohamad.  Stealing,  however,  began  on 
our  side,  a  slave  purloining  a  fowl ;  so  they  had  good  reason  to 
enjoin  honesty  on  us!  They  think  that  we  have  come  to  kill 
them:  we  lis?ht  on  them  as  if  from  another  world:  no  letters 
come  to  tell  who  we  are,  or  what  we  want.  We  can  not  con- 
ceive their  state  of  isolation  and  helplessness,  with  nothing  to 
trust  to  but  their  charms  and  idols — both  being  bits  of  wood.  I 
got  a  large  beetle  hung  up  before  an  idol  in  the  idol  house  of  a 
deserted  and  burned  village:  the  guardian  was  there,  but  the  vil- 
lage destroved. 

I  presented  the  two  brothers  with  two  table-cloths,  four 
bunches  of  beads,  and  one  string  of  neck-beads :  they  were  well 
satisfied. 

A  wood  here,  when  burned,  emits  a  horrid  fecal  smell,  and  one 
would  think  the  camp  polluted  if  one  fire  was  made  of  it.  I  had 
a  house  built  for  me  because  the  village  huts  are  inconvenient, 
low  in  roof,  and  low  door- ways  :  the  men  build  them,  and  help 
to  cultivate  the  soil;  but  the  women  have  to  keep  them  well 


VISITATIONS  OF  SMALL- POX. 


305 


filled  with  firewood  :ind  supplied  with  water.  They  carry  the 
wood,  and  almost  every  thing  else,  in  large  baskets,  hung  to  the 
shoulders,  like  the  Edinburgh  fish-wives.  A  man  made  a  long, 
loud  prayer  to  Mulungu  last  night  after  dark  for  rain. 

The  sons  of  Moenekuss  have  but  little  of  their  father's  power, 
but  they  try  to  behave  to  strangers  as  he  did.  All  our  people 
are  in  terror  of  the  Manyema,  or  Manyuema,  man-eating  fame. 
A  woman's  child  had  crept  into  a  quiet  corner  of  the  hut  to  eat  a 
banana;  she  could  not  find  him,  and  at  once  concluded  that  the 
Manyuema  had  kidnaped  him  to  eat  him,  and  with  a  yell  she  ran 
through  the  camp  and  screamed  at  the  top  of  her  shrill  voice, 
•'Oh,  the  Manyuema  have  stolen  my  child  to  make  meat  of  him! 
Oh,  my  child  eaten — oh,  oh  !" 

September  26th-28th. — xV  Lunda  slave  girl  was  sent  oft"  to  be 
sold  for  a  tusk,  but  the  Manyuema  do  not  want  slaves,  as  we 
were  told  in  Lunda,  for  they  are  generally  thieves  and  otherwise 
bad  characters.  It  is  now  clouded  over  and  preparing  for  rain, 
when  sun  comes  overhead.  Small-pox  comes  every  three  or  four 
years,  and  kills  many  of  the  people.  A  soko  alive  was  believed 
to  be  a  good  charm  for  rain  ;  so  one  was  caught,  and  the  captor 
had  the  ends  of  two  fingers  and  toes  bitten  off.  The  soko,  or  go- 
rilla, always  tries  to  bite  off  these  parts,  and  has  been  known  to 
overpower  a  young  man  and  leave  him  without  the  ends  of  fin- 
gers and  toes.  1  saw  the  nest  of  one  :  it  is  a  poor  contrivance ; 
no  more  architectural  skill  shown  than  in  the  nest  of  our  Cushat 
dove. 

September  29th. — I  visited  a  hot  fountain  an  hour  west  of  our 
camp,  which  has  five  eyes;  temperature  150°,  slightly  saline  taste, 
and  steam  issues  constantly.  It  is  called  Kasugwe  Colambu. 
Earthquakes  are  well  known,  and  to  the  Manyuema  they  seem  to 
come  from  the  east  to  west:  pots  rattle,  and  fowls  cackle  on  these 
occasions. 

Odoher  2(1,  1869. — A  rhinoceros  was  shot,  and  party  sent  off  to 
the  River  Luamo  to  buy  ivory. 

Odoher  oih. — An  elephant  was  killed,  and  the  entire  population 
went  off  to  get  meat,  which  was  given  freely  at  first;  but  after  it 
was  known  how  eagerly  the  Manyuema  sought  it,  six  or  eight 
goats  were  demanded  for  a  carcass,  and  given. 

Odoher  9th. — The  rite  of  circumcision  is  general  among  all  the 
Manyuema;  it  is  performed  on  the  young.  If  a  head  man's  son 
is  to  be  operated  on,  it  is  tried  on  a  slave  first:  certain  times  of 
the  year  arc  un[)ropitious,  as  during  a  drought,  for  instance  ;  but 
having  by  this  experiment  ascertained  the  proper  time,  they  go 


30G 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


into  the  forest,  beat  drums,  and  feast  as  elsewhere  :  contrary  to 
all  African  custom,  they  are  not  ashamed  to  speak  about  the  rite, 
even  before  women. 

Two  very  fine  young  men  came  to  visit  me  to-day.  After  put- 
ting several  preparatory  inquiries  as  to  where  our  country  lay, 
etc.,  they  asked  whether  people  died  with  us,  and  where  they 
went  to  after  death.  "  Who  kills  them  ?"  "  Have  you  no  charm 
(buanga)  against  death?"  It  is  not  necessary  to  answer  such 
questions  save  in  a  land  never  visited  by  strangers.  Both  had 
the  "organs  of  intelligence"  largely  developed.  I  told  them  that 
we  prayed  to  the  Great  Father,  Muluugu,  and  He  hears  us  all: 
they  thought  this  to  be  natural. 


Cntcliin-j;  AniH. 


Ocloher  14:lh. — An  elephant  killed  was  of  the  small  variety,  and 
only  five  feet  eight  inches  high  at  the  withers.  The  forefoot 
was  in  circumference  three  feet  nine  inches,  wliich  doubled  gives 
seven  feet  six  inches;  this  shows  a  deviation  from  the  usual  rule, 
"twice  round  the  forefoot  =  the  height  of  the  animal."  Heart 
one  foot  and  a  half  long;  tusks  six  feet  eight  inches  in  length. 

October  loth. — Fever  better,  and  thankful.    Vcrv  cold  and  rainy.- 


UNLUCKY  DAYS. 


307 


October  18(h. — Our  Hassani  returned  from  Moene  Kirumbo's; 
then  one  of  Dugumbe's  party  (also  called  Ilassani)  seized  ten 
goats  and  ten  slaves  before  leaving,  though  great  kindness  had 
been  shown:  this  is  genuine  Suaheli  or  nigger  -  Moslem  tactics. 
Four  of  his  people  were  killed  in  revenge. 

A  whole  regiment  of  soldier-ants  in  my  hut  were  put  into  a 
panic  by  a  detachment  of  driver-ants,  called  sirufu.  The  chun- 
gu,  or  black  soldiers,  rushed  out  with  their  eggs  and  young,  put- 
ting them  down  and  running  for  more.  A  dozen  sirafu  pitched 
on  one  chungu,  and  killed  him.  The  chungu  made  new  quar- 
ters for  themselves.  When  the  white  ants  cast  off  their  colony  of 
winged  emigrants,  a  canopy  is  erected  like  an  umbrella  over  the 
ant-hill.  As  soon  as  the  ants  fly  against  the  roof,  they  tumble 
down  in  a  shower,  and  their  wings  instantly  become  detached 
from  their  bodies.  They  are  then  helpless,  and  are  swept  up  in 
baskets  to  be  fried,  when  they  make  a  very  palatable  food. 

Ocloher  24:lh,2ij(h.  —  ]\raking  copper  rings,  as  these  are  highly 
prized  by  Manyuema.  Mohamad's  tembe  fell.  It  had  been  be- 
gun on  an  unlucky  day,  the  26th  of  the  moon;  and  on  another 
occasion,  on  the  same  day,  he  had  fifty  slaves  swept  away  by  ;i 
sudden  flood  of  a  dry  river  in  the  Obena  country  :  they  are  great 
observers  of  lucky  and  unlucky  days. 

21 


LlFIXUHTUyE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Prepares  to  explore  River  Lualaba.— Beauty  of  the  Manyuema  Country. — Irritation 
!it  Conciiict  of  Arabs. — Dugmnbe'  s  Ravages. — Hordes  of  Traders  arrive. — Severe 
Fever. — Elephant  Trap. — Sickness  in  Camp. — A  good  Samaritan. — Reaches  Ma- 
mohela,  and  is  prostrated. — Beneficial  Effects  of  Nyumbo-plant. — Long  Illness. — 
An  Elephant  of  three  Tusks.— All  Men  desert  except  Susi,  Chiima,  and  Gardner. 
— Starts  with  these  to  Lualaba. — Arab  assassinated  by  outraged  Manyuema. — Re- 
turns battled  to  Mamohela. — ;Long  and  dreadful  Suti'ering  from  ulcerated  Feet. — 
Questionable  Cannibalism. — Hears  of  four  River  Sources  close  together. — Resinnc' 
of  Discoveries. — Contemporary  Explorers.- — The  Soko. — Description  of  its  Habits. 
— Dr.  Livingstone  feels  himself  failing. — Intrigues  of  Deserters. 

November  Is/,  1869. — Being  now  well  rested,  I  resolved  to  go 
west  to  Lualaba,  and  buy  a  canoe  for  its  exploration.  Our  course 
was  west  and  south-west,  through  a  country  surpassingly  beauti- 
ful, mountainous,  and  villages  perched  on  the  talus  of  each  great 
mass  for  the  sake  of  quick  drainage.  The  streets  often  run  east 
and  west,  in  order  that  the  bright  blazing  sun  may  lick  up  the 
moisture  quickly  from  off  them.  The  dwelling-houses  are  gen- 
erally in  line,  with  public  meeting-houses  at  each  end,  opposite 
the  middle  of  the  street :  the  roofs  are  low,  but  well  thatched 
with  a  leaf  resembling  the  banana  leaf,  but  more  tough  ;  it  seems 
from  its  fruit  to  be  a  species  of  euphorbia.  The  leafstack  has  a 
notch  made  in  it  of  two  or  three  inches  lengthways,  and  this 
hooks  on  to  the  rafters,  which  are  often  of  the  leaf-stalks  of  palms, 
split  up  so  as  to  be  thin:  the  water  runs  quickly  off  this  roof,  and 
the  walls,  which  are  of  well-beaten  clay,  are  screened  from  the 
weather.  Inside,  the  dwellings  are  clean  and  comfortable,  and 
before  the  Arabs  came  bugs  were  unknown.  As  I  have  before 
ob.served,  one  may  know  where  these  people  have  come  by  the 
presence  or  absence  of  these  nasty  vermin.  The  human  tick, 
which  infests  all  Arab  and  Suahcli  houses,  is  to  the  Manyuema 
unknown. 

In  some  cases,  where  the  south-east  rains  are  abundant,  the 
Manyuema  place  the  back  side  of  tlie  houses  to  this  quarter,  and 
prolong  the  low  roof  down,  so  that  the  rain  does  not  reach  the 
walls.  These  clay  walls  stand  for  ages  and  men  often  return  to 
the  villages  they  left  in  infancy,  and  build  again  the  portions  that 
many  rains  have  washed  away.  The  country  generally  is  of 
clayey  soil,  and  suitable  for  building.    Each  housewife  has  from 


BEAUTY  OF  MANYVEMA  COUNTRY. 


309 


twenty-five  to  thirty  earthen  pots  slung  to  the  ceiling  by  very 
neat  cord -swinging  tressels ;  and  often  as  many  neatly-made 
baskets  hung  up  in  the  same  fashion,  and  much  fire-wood. 

November  5th. — In  going,  we  crossed  the  Eiver  Luela,  of  twen- 
ty yards  in  width,  five  times,  in  a  dense  dripping  forest.  The 
men  of  one  village  always  refused  to  accompany  us  to  the  next 
set  of  hamlets :  "  They  were  at  war,  and  afraid  of  being  killed 
and  eaten."  They  often  came  five  or  six  miles  through  the  for- 
ests that  separate  the  districts;  but  when  we  drew  near  to  the 
cleared  spaces  cultivated  by  their  enemies  they  parted  civilly,  and 
invited  us  to  come  the  same  way  back,  and  they  would  sell  us  all 
the  food  we  required. 

The  Manyueina  countiy  is  all  surpassingly  beautiful.  Palms 
crown  the  highest  heights  of  the  mountains,  and  their  graceful- 
ly bended  fronds  wave  beautifully  in  the  wind ;  and  the  forests, 
usually  about  five  miles  broad,  between  groups  of  villages,  are 
indescribable.  Climbers  of  cable  size  in  great  numbers  are  hung 
among  the  gigantic  trees ;  many  unknown  wild  fruits  abound, 
some  the  size  of  a  child's  head,  and  strange  birds  and  monkeys 
are  everywhere.  The  soil  is  excessively  rich,  and  the  people, 
although  isolated  by  old  feuds  that  are  never  settled,  cultivate 
largely.  They  have  selected  a  kind  of  maize  that  bends  its  fruit- 
stalk  round  into  a  hook,  and  hedges  some  eighteen  feet  high  are 
made  by  inserting  poles,  which  sprout,  like  Kobinson  Crusoe's 
hedge,  and  never  decay.  Lines  of  climbing  plants  are  tied  so  as 
to  go  along  from  pole  to  polo,  and  the  maize  cobs  are  suspended 
to  tliese  by  their  own  hooked  fruit-stalk.  As  the  corn-cob  is 
forming,  the  hook  is  turned  round,  so  that  the  fruit-leaves  of  it 
hang  down  and  form  a  thatch  for  the  grain  beneath,  or  inside  it. 
This  upright  granary  forms  a  solid-looking  wall  round  the  vil- 
lages, and  the  people  are  not  stingy,  but  take  down  maize  and 
iiand  it  to  the  men  freely. 

The  women  are  very  naked.  They  bring  loads  of  provisions  to 
sell  through  the  rain,  and  are  eager  traders  for  beads.  Plantains, 
cassava,  and  maize  are  the  chief  food.  The  first  rains  had  now 
begun,  and  the  white  ants  took  the  hint  to  swarm  and  colonize. 

Novcmher  C)th-8lh. — We  came  to  many  large  villages,  and  were 
variously  treated:  one  head  man  presented  me  with  a  parrot, 
and,  on  my  declining  it,  gave  it  to  one  of  my  people:  some 
onlered  us  off,  but  were  coaxed  to  allow  us  to  remain  overnight 
They  have  no  restraint;  some  came  and  pushed  oft'  the  door  of 
my  hut  with  a  stick  while  I  was  resting,  as  we  should  do  with  a 
wild-beast  cage. 


310 


LinXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Though  reasonably  willing  to  gratify  curiosity,  it  becomes  tire- 
some to  be  the  victim  of  unlimited  staring  by  the  ugly  as  well  as 
by  the  good-looking.  I  can  bear  the  women,  but  ugly  males  are 
uninteresting;  and  it  is  as  much  as  I  can  stand  when  a  crowd 
will  follow  me  wherever  I  move.  They  have  beard  of  Dugumbe 
Hassani's  deeds,  and  are  evidently  suspicious  of  our  intentions: 
they  say,  "If  you  have  food  at  home,  why  come  so  far  and  spend 
your  beads  to  buy  it  here?"  If  it  is  replied,  on  the  strength  of 
some  of  Mohamad's  people  being  present,  "We  want  to  buy  ivory 
too;"  not  knowing  its  value,  they  think  that  this  is  a  mere  sub- 
terfuge to  plunder  them.  Much  palm -wine  to-day  at  different 
parts  made  them  incapable  of  reasoning  further.  They  seemed 
inclined  to  fight,  but,  after  a  great  deal  of  talk,  we  departed  with- 
out collision. 

November  9th. — We  came  to  villages  where  all  were  civil,  but 
afterward  arrived  where  there  were  other  palm-trees  and  palm- 
toddy,  and  people  low  and  disagreeable  in  consequence.  The 
mountains  all  around  are  grand,  and  tree-covered.  I  saw  a  man 
with  two  great  toes:  the  double  toe  is  usually  a  little  one. 

November  11th. — We  had  heard  that  the  Manyuema  were  eager 
to  buy  slaves,  but  that  meant  females  only,  to  make  wives  of 
them  :  they  prefer  goats  to  men.  Mohamad  had  bought  slaves  in 
Lunda  in  order  to  get  ivory  from  these  Manyuema;  but  inquiry 
here  and  elsewhere  brought  it  out  plainly  that  they  would  rather 
let  the  ivory  lie  unused  or  rot,  than  invest  in  male  slaves,  who 
are  generally  criminals — at  least  in  Lunda.  I  advised  my  friend 
to  desist  from  buying  slaves,  who  would  all  "eat  off  their  own 
heads;"  but  he  knew  better  than  to  buy  copper,  and  on  our  re- 
turn he  acknowlcdsjed  that  I  was  rioht. 

November  Ibth. — We  came  into  a  country  where  Dugumb^'s 
slaves  had  maltreated  the  people  grcatlv,  and  they  looked  on  us 
as  of  the  same  tribe,  and  we  had  much  trouble  in  consequence. 
The  country  is  swarming  with  villages.  Ilassani,  of  Dugumb<5, 
got  the  chief  into  debt,  and  then  robbed  him  of  ten  men  and  ten 
goats  to  clear  off  the  debt :  the  Dutch  did  the  same  in  the  south 
of  Africa. 

November  11th. — Copious  rains  brought  us  to  a  halt  at  ]\[uana 
Balangc's,  on  the  banks  of  the  Luamo  River.  Moerekurambo 
had  died  lately,  and  his  substitute  took  seven  goats  to  tlic  cliicfs 
on  tlie  other  side  in  order  to  induce  them  to  come  in  a  strong 
party,  and  attack  us  for  Hassani's  affair. 

November  20ih-2d(h. — We  were  now  only  about  ton  miles 
from  the  confluence  of  the  Luamo  and  Lualaba,  but  all  the  people 


BESOLVES  TO  GO  DUE  NORTH. 


311 


liiid  been  plundered,  and  some  killed  by  the  slaves  of  Dugumbe. 
The  Luaino  is  here  some  two  hundred  yards  broad,  and  deep. 
Tlie  chiefs  everywhere  were  begged  to  refuse  us  a  passage.  Tlie 
women  were  particularly  outspoken  in  asserting  our  identity  with 
the  cruel  strangers;  and  when  one  lady  was  asked,  in  the  midst 
of  her  vociferation,  just  to  look  if  I  were  of  the  same  color  with 
Dugumbe,  slie  replied,  with  a  bitter  little  laugh,  "  Then  you  must 
be  his  father!" 

It  was  of  no  use  to  try  to  buy  a  canoe,  for  all  were  our  enemies. 
It  was  now  the  rainy  season,  and  I  had  to  move  with  great  cau- 
tion. The  worst  our  enemies  did,  after  tr3'ing  to  get  up  a  war  in 
vain,  was  to  collect,  as  we  went  by,  in  force,  fully  armed  willj 
their  large  speai's  and  huge  wooden  shields,  and  show  us  out  of 
their  districts.  All  are  kind  except  those  who  have  been  abused 
by  the  Arab  slaves.  While  waiting  at  Luamo,  a  man  whom  we 
sent  over  to  buy  food  got  into  a  panic  and  fled  he  knew  not 
whither;  all  concluded  that  he  had  been  murdered,  but  some 
Manyueina  whom  we  had  never  seen  found  him,  fed  him,  and 
brought  him  home  unscathed :  I  was  very  glad  that  no  collision 
had  taken  place.    We  returned  to  Bambarre  December  19tli,  1869. 

December  20th. — While  we  were  away,  a  large  horde  of  Ujijians 
came  to  Bambarre,  all  eager  to  reach  the  cheap  ivoiy,  of  which 
a  rumor  had  spread  f'ixv  and  wide:  they  numbered  five  hundred 
guns,  and  invited  Mohamad  to  go  with  them,  but  he  prefened 
waiting  for  my  return  from  the  west.  We  now  resolved  to  go 
due  north  ;  he  to  buy  ivory,  and  I  lo  reach  another  part  of  the 
Lualaba  and  buy  a  canoe. 

Wherever  the  dense  primeval  forest  lias  been  cleared  off  by 
niaii,  gigantic  grasses  usurp  the  clearances.  None  of  the  sylvan 
vegetation  can  stand  tlic  annual  grass-burnings  except  a  species 
of  bauhinia,  and  occasionally  a  large  tree  which  sends  out  new 
wood  below  the  burned  places,  "^rhe  parrots  build  thereon,  and 
the  men  make  a  stair  up  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  by  tying 
climbing  plants  (called  binayoba)  around,  at  about  four  feet  dis- 
tance, fis  steps.  Near  the  confluence  of  the  Luamo,  men  build 
huts  on  this  same  species  of  tree  for  safety  against  the  arrows  of 
their  enemies. 

Deceraher  21a/. — The  strong  thick  gi'ass  of  the  clearances  dries 
down  to  the  roots  at  tlie  surface  of  the  soil,  and  fire  does  it  no 
harm.  Tliough  a  few  of  the  great  old  burly  giants  brave  the 
tires,  none  of  the  climbers  do:  they  disappear,  but  the  })lants 
themselves  are  brought  out  of  the  forests  and  ranged  along  the 
lilantations  like  wire  fences,  to  keep  wild  beasts  olT:  the  polos 


312 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


.of  these  vegetable  wire  hedges  often  take  root,  as  also  those  in 
stages  for  maize. 

December  22d-24:th. — Mohamad  presented  a  goat,  to  be  eaten 
on  our  Christmas.  I  got  large  copper  bracelets  made  of  my  cop- 
per by  Manyuema  smiths,  for  they  are  considered  very  valuable, 
and  have  driven  iron  bracelets  quite  out  of  fashion. 

December  2oih. — We  start  immediately  after  Christmas:  I  must 
try  with  all  my  might  to  finish  my  exploration  before  next 
Christmas. 

December  2Qth. — I  get  fever  severely,  and  was  down  all  day ; 
but  we  march,  as  I  have  always  found  that  moving  is  the  best 
remedy  for  fever :  I  have,  however,  no  medicine  whatever.  We 
passed  over  the  neck  of  Mount  Kinyima,  north-west  of  Moene- 
kuss,  through  very  slippery  forest,  and  encamped  on  the  banks 
of  the  Lulwa  Rivulet. 

December  28ih. — Away  to  Monangoi's  village,  near  the  Luamo 
River,  here  one  hundred  and  fifty  or  more  yards  wide,  and  deep. 
A  man  passed  us,  bearing  a  human  finger  wrapped  in  a  leaf;  it 
was  to  be  used  as  a  charm,  and  belonged  to  a  man  killed  in  re- 
venge :  the  Arabs  all  took  this  as  clear  evidence  of  cannibalism : 
I  hesitated,  however,  to  believe  it. 

December  29th-31st. — Heavy  rains.  The  Luamo  is  called  the 
Luasse  above  this.    We  crossed  in  canoes. 

January  1st,  1870. — May  the  Almighty  help  me  to  finish  the 
work  in  hand,  and  retire  through  the  Basango  before  the  year  is 
out.    Thanks  for  all  last  year's  loving-kindness. 

Our  course  was  due  north,  with  the  Luasse  flowing  in  a  gentlv 
undulating  green  country  on  our  right,  and  rounded  mountains 
in  Mbongo's  country  on  our  left. 

January  2d.  —  Rested  a  day  at  Mbongo's,  as  the  people  were 
honest. 

January  Sd. — Reached  a  village  at  the  edge  of  a  great  forest, 
where  the  people  were  excited  and  uproarious,  but  not  ill-bred; 
they  ran  alongside  the  path  with  us,  shouting  and  making  ener- 
getic remarks  to  each  other  about  us.  A  newly-married  couple 
stood  in  a  village  where  we  stopped  to  inquire  the  way,  with 
arms  around  each  other  very  lovingly,  and  no  one  joked  or 
poked  fun  at  them.  We  marched  five  iiours  through  forest,  and 
crossed  three  rivulets  and  much  stagnant  water,  which  the  sun. 
by  the  few  rays  he  darts  in,  can  not  evaporate.  We  passed  sev- 
eral huge  traps  for  elephants.  They  are  constructed  thus:  a  log 
of  licavy  wood,  about  twenty  feet  long,  has  a  hole  at  one  end  for 
a  climbing  plant  to  pass  through  and  suspend  it;  at  the  lower 


CHOLERAIC  SYMPTOMS. 


313 


end  a  mortice  is  cut  out  of  the  side,  and  a  wooden  lance  about 
two  inches  broad  by  one  and  a  half  thick,  and  about  four  feet 
long,  is  inserted  firmly  in  the  mortice;  a  latch  down  on  the 
ground,  when  touched  by  the  animal's  foot,  lets  the  beam  run 
down  on  to  his  body,  and  the  great  weight  of  the  wood  drives 
in  the  lance  and  kills  the  animal.  I  saw  one  lance  which  had 
accidentaljy  fallen,  and  it  had  gone  into  the  stiff  clay  soil  two 
feet. 

January  4:01.  —  The  villagers  we  passed  were  civil,  but,  like 
noisy  children,  all  talked  and  gazed.  When  surrounded  by 
three  or  four  hundred,  some  who  have  not  been  accustomed  to 
the  ways  of  wild  men  think  that  a  fight  is  imminent;  but,  poor 
things,  no  attack  is  thought  of,  if  it  does  not  begin  on  our  side. 
Many  of  Mohamad's  people  were  dreadfully  afraid  of  being  kill- 
ed and  eaten.  One  man  out  in  search  of  ivory  seemed  to  have 
lost  sight  of  his  companions,  for  they  saw  him  running  with  all 
his  might  to  a  forest  with  no  path  in  it :  he  was  searched  for  for 
several  days,  and  was  given  up  as  a  murdered  man,  a  victim  pf 
the  cannibal  Manyuemal  On  the  seventh  day  after  he  lost  his 
head,  he  was  led  into  camp  by  a  head  man,  who  not  only  found 
him  wandering,  but  fed  and  lodged  and  restored  him  to  his  peo- 
ple. 

[With  reference  to  the  above  we  may  add  that  nothing  can 
exceed  the  terror  in  which  cannibal  nations  are  held  by  other 
African  tribes.  It  was  common  on  the  liiver  Shire  to  hear  Man- 
ganja  and  Ajawa  people  speak  of  tribes  far  away  to  the  north 
who  eat  human  bodies,  and  on  every  occasion  the  fact  was  re- 
lated with  the  utmost  horror  and  disgust.] 

The  women  here  plait  the  hair  into  the  form  of  a  basket  be- 
hind ;  it  is  first  rolled  into  a  very  long  coil,  then  wound  round 
something  till  it  is  about  eight  or  ten  inches  long,  projecting  from 
the  back  of  the  head. 

January  bth-llli.  —  Wettings  by  rain,  arrd  grass  overhanging 
our  paths,  with  bad  water,  brought  on  choleraic  symptoms,  and 
opium  from  Mohamad  had  no  effect  in  stopping  it :  he,  too,  had 
rheumatism.  On  suspecting  the  water  as  the  cause,  I  had  all  1 
used  boiled,  and  this  was  effectual  ;  but  I  was  greatly  reduced  in 
flesh,  and  so  wore  many  ofonr  party. 

Wc  proceeded  nearly  due  north,  through  wilderness  and  many 
villages  and  running  rilLs.  The  paths  are  often  left  to  be  choked 
np  by  the  overbearing  vegetation,  and  then  the  course  of  the  rill 
is  adopted  as  the  only  clear  passage;  it  has  also  this  advantage. 


314 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUBXALS. 


it  prevents  foot-marks  being  followed  by  enemies:  in  fact,  the 
object  is  always  to  make  approaches  to  liuman  dwellings  as  dif- 
ficult as  possible.  Even  the  hedges  around  villages  sprout  out 
and  grow  a  living  fence,  and  this  is  covered  by  a  great  mass  of  a 
species  of  calabash  with  its  broad  leaves,  so  that  nothing  appears 
of  the  fence  outside. 

January  11th. — The  people  are  civil,  but  uproarious  from  the 
excitement  of  having  never  seen  strangers  before:  all  visitors 
from  a  distance  came  with  their  large  wooden  shields.  Many  of 
the  men  are  handsome  and  tall,  but  the  women  are  plainer  than 
at  Bambarre. 

January  12th. — Cross  the  Lolinde,  thirty-five  yards,  and  knee- 
deep,  flowing  to  join  Luamo  far  down  :  dark  water. 

January  I'dth. — Through  the  hills  Chimun^mune;  we  see  many 
albinoes  and  partial  lepers,  and  syphilis  is  prpvalent.  It  is  too 
tryin'^  to  travel  during  the  rains. 

January  Uth.  —  The  muabc-palm  had  taken  possession  of  a 
broad  valley,  and  the  leaf-stalks,  as  thick  as  a  strong  man's  arm 
and  twenty  feet  long,  had  lallen  ofi:"  and  blocked  up  all  passage 
except  by  one  path,  made  and  mixed  up  by  the  feet  of  buffaloes 
and  elephants.  In  places  like  this  the  leg  goes  into  elephants' 
holes  up  to  the  thigh,  and  it  is  grievous;  three  hours  of  this 
.slouofh  tired  the  strono;est:  a  brown  stream  ran  throuah  the  cen- 
tre,  waist-deep,  and  washed  off  a  little  of  the  adhesive  mud.  Our 
path  now  lay  through  a  river  covered  with  tikatika,  a  living  veg- 
etable bridge  made  by  a  species  of  glossy-leafed  grass  which  felts 
itself  into  a  mat  capable  of  bearing  a  man's  weight,  but  it  bends 
in  a  foot  or  fifteen  inches  every  step:  a  stick  six  feet  long  could 
not  reach  the  bottom  in  certain  holes  we  passed.  The  lotus,  or 
sacred  lily,  which  grows  in  nearly  all  the  shallow  waters  of  this 
country,  sometimes  spreads  its  broad  leaves  over  the  bridge  so  as 
to  lead  careless  observers  to  think  that  it  is  the  bridge-builder, 
but  the  grass  mentioned  is  the  real  agent.  Uere  it  is  called  kin- 
tefw^tefwe;  on  Victoria  Nyanzn,  titatika. 

January  loth. — Choleraic  purging  again  came  on,  till  all  the 
water  used  was  boiled,  but  I  was  laid  up  by  sheer  weakness  near 
the  hill  Chanza. 

January  20lh,  21st. — Weakness  and  illness  goes  on  because  we 
get  wet  so  often  :  the  whole  party  suffers,  and  they  say  that  they 
will  never  come  here  again.  'J'lic  Manyango  rivulet  has  fine 
sweet  water,  but  the  whole  country  is  smothered  with  lu.xuriant 
vegetation. 

January  27 th-SOth. — Rest  from  sickness  in  camj).   The  country 


ONE  TOUCH  OF  NATURE. 


315 


is  indescribable,  from  rank  jungle  of  grass,  but  the  rounded  bills 
are  still  pretty ;  an  elepliant  alone  can  pass  through  it — these  are 
iiis  head-quarters.  The  stalks  are  from  half  an  inch  to  an  inch 
and  a  half  in  diameter:  reeds  clog  the  feet,  and  the  leaves  rub 
sorely  on  the  face  and  eyes.  The  view  is  generally  shut  in  by 
this  megatherium  grass,  except  when  we  come  to  a  slope  down  to 
a  valley  or  the  bed  of  a  rill. 

We  came  to  a  village  among  fine  gardens  of  maize,  bananas, 
ground-nuts,  and  cassava,  but  the  villagers  said,  "Go  on  to  next 
village;"  and  this  meant,  "We  don't  want  you  here."  The  main 
body  of  Mohamad's  people  was  about  three  miles  before  us  ;  but 
I  was  so  weak  I  sat  down  in  the  next  hamlet,  and  asked  for  a 
hut  to  rest  in.  A  woman  with  leprous  hands  gave  me  hers,  a 
nice  clean  one,  and  very  heavy  rain  came  on  :  of  her  own  accord 
she  prepared  dumplings  of  green  maize,  pounded  and  boiled, 
which  are  sweet,  for  she  said  that  she  saw  I  was  hungry.  It  was 
excessive  weakness  from  purging;  and  seeing  that  I  did  not  eat 
for  fear  of  the  leprosy,  she  kindly  pressed  me:  "Eat;  you  are 
weak  only  from  hunger;  this  will  strengthen  you."  I  put  it  out 
of  her  sight,  and  blessed  her  motherly  heart. 

I  had  ere  this  come  to  the  conclusion  that  I  ought  not  to  risk 
myself  farther  in  the  rains,  in  my  present  weakness,  for  it  may 
result  in  something  worse,  as  in  Marungu  and  Liemba. 

The  horde  mentioned  as  having  passed  Banibarrc  was  now 
somewhere  in  our  vicinity,  and  it  was  impossible  to  ascertain 
i'rom  the  Manyuema  whcie  the  Liialaba  lay. 

In  going  north,  on  Febniary  1st,  we  came  to  some  of  this 
horde  belonging  to  Katomba  or  Moenemokaia,  who  stated  that 
the  leader  was  anxious  for  advice  as  to  cro.ssing  Lualaba  and  fu- 
ture movements.  He  supposed  that  this  river  was  seven  days  in 
front  of  him,  and  twelve  days  in  fiont  of  us.  It  is  a  puzzle,  from 
its  Tioith-westing  and  low  level :  it  is  possibly  Petherick's  Bahr 
(lhazal.    Could  get  no  latitude. 

Febriiury  2d,  1870. — I  propose  to  cross  it,  and  buy  an  exploring 
canoe,  because  I  am  recovering  my  strength ;  but  we  now  climb 
over  the  bold  hills  Bininango,  and  turn  south-west  toward  Ka- 
tomba to  take  counsel:  he  knows  more  than  any  one  else  about 
the  country,  and  his  jjcople  being  now  scattered  cveiywhere  seek- 
ing ivory,  I  do  not  relish  their  company. 

Ff'hrudnj  Zd. — Caught  in  a  drenching  rain,  which  made  me 
fain  to  sit,  exhausted  as  I  was,  under  an  umbrella  for  an  hour 
trying  to  keep  the  trunk  dry.  As  I  sat  in  the  rain,  a  little  tree- 
frog,  about  half  an  inch  long,  leaped  on  to  a  grassy  leaf,  and  be- 


316 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


gan  a  tnne  as  loud  as  that  of  many  birds,  and  very  sweet;  it  was 
surprising  to  bear  so  much  music  out  of  so  small  a  musician.  I 
drank  some  rain-water,  as  I  felt  faint;  in  the  paths  it  is  now  calf- 
deep.  I  crossed  a  hundred  yards  of  slush  waist-deep,  in  mid- 
channel,  and  full  of  holes  made  by  elephants'  feet,  the  path 
hedged  in  by  reedy  grass,  often  intertwined  and  very  tripping. 
I  stripped  off  my  clothes  on  reaching  my  hut  in  a  village,  and  a 
fire  during  night  nearly  dried  them.  At  the  same  time  I  rubbed 
my  legs  with  palm-oil,  and  in  the  morning  had  a  delicious  break- 
fast of  sour  goat's  milk  and  porridge. 

February  5ih. — The  drenching  told  on  me  sorely,  and  it  was 
repeated  after  we  had  crossed  the  good-sized  rivulets  Mulunkula 
and  many  villages,  and  I  lay  on  an  enormous  boulder  under  a  mu- 
ab^  palm,  and  slept  during  the  worst  of  the  pelting.  I  was  seven 
days  southing  to  Mamohela,  Katomba's  camp, .and  quite  knocked 
up  and  exhausted.  I  went  into  winter-quarters  on  February  7th, 
1870. 

February  7th.  —  This  was  the  camp  of  the  head  man  of  the 
ivory  horde,  now  away  for  ivory.  Katomba,  as  Moenemokaia  is 
called,  was  now  all  kindness.  We  were  away  from  his  Ujijian 
associates,  and  he  seemed  to  follow  his  natural  bent  without  fear 
of  the  other  slave-traders,  who  all  hate  to  see  me  as  a  spy  on  their 
proceedings.  Rest,  shelter,  and  boiling  all  the  water  I  used,  and 
above  all,  the  new  species  of  potato  called  nyumbo,  much  famed 
among  the  natives  as  restorative,  soon  put  me  all  to  rights.  Ka- 
tomba supplied  me  liberally  with  nyumbo  ;  and  but  for  a  slightly 
medicinal  taste,  which  is  got  rid  of  by  boiling  in  two  waters,  this 
vegetable  would  be  equal  to  English  potatoes. 

February  lltJi. — First  of  all,  it  was  proposed  to  go  off  to  the 
Lualaba  in  the  north-west,  in  order  to  procure  Holcus  sorglium,  or 
dura  flour,  that  being,  in  Arab  opinion,  nearly  equal  to  wheat, 
or,  as  they  say,  "  heating,"  while  the  maize-flour  we  were  obliged 
to  use  was  cold,  or  cooling. 

February  IZth. — I  was  too  ill  to  go  through  mud  waist-deep, 
so  I  allowed  Mohamad  (who  was  suffering  much)  to  go  away 
alone  in  search  of  ivory.  As  stated  above,  shelter  and  nyumbo 
proved  beneficial. 

February  22d. — Falls  between  Vira  and  Baker's  Water  seen  by 
Wanyamwezi.  This  confirms  my  conjecture  on  finding  Lualaba 
at  a  lower  level  than  Tanganyika.  Bin  Ilabib  went  to  fight  the 
Batusi,  but  they  were  too  strong,  and  he  turned. 

MarcJi  \st,  1870. — Visited  my  Arab  friends  in  their  camp  for 
the  first  time  to-day.    This  is  Kasessa's  country,  and  the  camp  is 


REMEDY  FOR  ILL  EFFECTS  OF  SIMOON. 


317 


situated  between  two  strong  rivulets,  while  ]\ramohela  is  the  na- 
tive name.  Mount  Bombola  stands  two  miles  from  it  north,  and 
Mount  Bolunkela  is  north-east  the  same  distance.  Wood,  water, 
and  grass,  the  requisites  of  a  camp,  abound,  and  the  Manyuema 
bring  large  supplies  of  food  every  day :  forty  large  baskets  of 
maize  for  a  goat;  fowls  and  bananas  and  nyutnbo  very  cheap. 

March  loth. — Iron  bracelets  are  the  common  medium  of  ex- 
change, and  coarse  beads  and  cowries:  for  a  copper  bracelet  three 
large  fowls  are  given,  and  three  and  a  half  baskets  of  maize:  one 
basket  three  feet  high  is  a  woman's  load,  and  they  are  very  strong. 

The  Wachiogone  are  a  scattered  tribe  among  the  Maarabo  or 
Suaheli,  but  they  retain  their  distinct  identity  as  a  people. 

The  Mainba  fish  has  breasts  with  milk,  and  utters  a  cry ;  its 
flesh  is  very  white.  It  is  not  the  crocodile,  which  goes  by  the 
same  name,  but  is  probably  the  Dugong,  or  Peixe  Mulher  of  the 
Portuguese  (?).  Full-grown  leeches  come  on  the  surface  in  this 
wet  country. 

Some  of  Katomba's  men  returned  with  forty-three  tusks.  An 
animal  with  short  horns  and  of  a  reddish  color  is  in  the  north : 
it  is  not  known  to  the  Arabs  (?). 

Joseph,  an  Arab  from  Oman,  says  that  the  simoon  is  worse  in 
Sham  (Yemen  ?)  than  in  Oman :  it  blows  for  three  or  four  hours. 
Butter  eaten  largely  is  the  remedy  against  its  ill  effects,  and  this 
is  also  smeared  on  the  body.  In  Oman  a  wet  cloth  is  put  over 
the  head,  body,  and  legs,  while  this  wind  blows. 

May  Isft,  1870. — An  elephant  was  killed  which  had  three  tusks, 
all  of  good  size.* 

Rains  continued;  and  mud  and  mire  from  the  clayey  soil  of 
Manyuema  were  too  awful  to  be  attempted. 

May  1\Lh. — I  sent  to  Bambarrc  for  the  cloth  and  beads  I  left 
there.  A  party  of  Thani's  people  came  south  and  said  that  they 
had  killed  forty  Manyuema,  and  lost  four  of  their  own  number: 
nine  villages  were  burned,  and  all  this  about  a  single  string  of 
beads  which  a  man  tried  to  steal ! 

«/«?ze,  1870. — Mohamad  bin  Nassur  and  Akila's  men  brought 
one  hundred  and  sixteen  tusks  from  the  north,  where  the  people 
are  said  to  be  all  good  and  obliging.  Akila's  chief  man  had  a 
large  deep  ulcer  on  the  foot  from  the  mud.  When  we  had  the 
people  here,  Kassessa  gave  ten  goats  and  one  tusk  to  hire  them 
to  avenge  a  feud  in  which  his  elder  brother  was  killed,  and  they 


♦  Siisi  ami  ("liumii  say  that  the  tliiid  tusk  grew  out  fioiu  the  base  of  the  trunk,  that 
is,  midwiiy  between  the  otlior  two.  —  Ei>. 


318 


LIVIXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUIiXALS. 


went;  the  spoils  secured  were  tbirtv-one  captives,  sixty  goats,  and 
about  forty  Mauyuema  killed:  one  slave  of  the  attacking  party 
was  killed,  and  two  badly  wounded.  Thani's  man,  Yahood,  who 
was  leader  in  the  other  case  of  forty  killed,  boasted  before  me  of 
the  deed.  I  said,  "You  were  sent  here  not  to  murder,  but  to 
trade;"  he  replied,  "We  are  sent  to  murder."  Bin  Nassur  said, 
"The  English  are  always  kilting  people;"  I  replied,  "Yes,  but 
only  slavers  who  do  the  deeds  that  were  done  yesterday." 

Various  other  tribes  sent  large  presents  to  the  Arabs  to  avert 
assaults,  and  tusks  too  were  offered. 

The  rains  had  continued  into  June,  and  fifty-eight  inches  fell. 

June  26/h. — Now  my  people  failed  me;  so,  with  only  three  at- 
tendants, Susi,  Chuma,  and  Gardner,  I  started  olf  to  the  north- 
west for  the  Lualaba.  The  numbers  of  running  rivulets  to  be 
crossed  were  surprising,  and  at  each,  for  some  forty  yards,  the 
jxith  had  been  w'orked  by  the  feet  of  passengers  into  adhesive 
mud  :  we  crossed  fourteen  in  one  day,  some  thigh-deep  :  most  of 
them  run  into  the  Liya,  which  we  crossed,  and  it  flows  to  the  Lu- 
alaba. We  passed  through  many  villages,  for  the  paths  all  lead 
through  human  dwellings.  Many  people  presented  bananas, 
and  seemed  surprised  when  I  made  a  small  return  gift;  one  man 
ran  after  me  with  a  sugar-cane.  I  paid  for  lodgings  too  :  here  the 
Arabs  never  do. 

June  28th. — The  driver-ants  were  in  millions  in  some  part  of 
the  way :  on  this  side  of  the  continent  they  seem  less  fierce  than 
I  have  found  them  in  the  west. 

June  29th. — At  one  village  musicians  with  calabashes,  having 
holes  in  them,  flute-fashion,  tried  to  please  me  by  their  vigorous 
acting,  and  by  beating  drums  in  time. 

Jane  30th. — We  passed  through  the  nine  villages  burned  for  a 
single  string  of  beads,  and  slept  in  the  village  of  Malola. 

Juh/,  1870. — While  I  was  sleeping  quietly  here,  some  trading 
Arabs  camped  at  Nasangwa's,  and  at  dead  of  night  one  was  pinned 
to  the  earth  by  a  spear :  no  doubt  this  was  in  revenge  for  relations 
slain  in  the  forty  mentioned.  The  survivors  now  wished  to  run 
a  muck  in  all  directions  against  the  ]\[anyueina. 

When  I  came  up  I  proposed  to  ask  the  chief  if  he  knew  the 
assas.sin,  and  he  replied  that  he  was  not  sure  of  him,  for  he  could 
only  conjecture  who  it  was;  but  death  to  all  Manyuemas  glared 
i'vom  the  eyes  of  half-castes  and  slaves.  Fortunateh',  before  this 
affair  was  settled  in  their  wa}^,  I  met  Mohamad  Bogharib  coming 
back  from  Kasonga's,  and  he  joined  in  enforcing  peace:  the  traders 
went  off,  but  let  my  three  people  know,  what  1  knew  long  before, 


CULMA  AMj     i  -1 


HIS  FEET  FAIL. 


319 


that  tliej  bated  having  a  spy  in  me  on  their  deeds.  I  told  some 
of  them  who  were  civil-tongued  that  ivory  obtained  by  bloodshed 
was  unclean  evil  —  "unlucky,"  as  tliey  say:  my  advice  to  them 
was,  "Don't  shed  human  blood,  my  friends;  it  has  guilt  not  to  be 
wiped  off  by  water."  Off  they  went ;  and  afterward  the  blood- 
thirsty party  got  only  one  tusk  and  a  half,  while  another  party, 
which  avoided  shooting  men,  got  fifty-four  tusks! 

From  Mohamad's  people  I  learned  that  the  Lualaba  w^as  not  in 
the  north-west  course  I  had  pursued,  for  in  fact  it  flows  west-south- 
west in  another  great  bend,  and  they  had  gone  far  to  the  north 
without  seeing  it;  but  the  country  was  exceedingly  difficult  from 
forest  and  water.  As  I  had  already  seen,  trees  fallen  across  the 
path  formed  a  breast-high  wall,  which  had  to  be  climbed  over: 
flooded  rivers,  breast  and  neck  deep,  had  to  be  crossed.  The  mud 
was  awful,  and  nothing  but  villages  eight  or  ten  miles  apart. 

In  the  clearances  around  these  villages  alone  could  the  sun  be 
seen.  For  the  first  time  in  my  life  my  feet  failed  me  ;  and  now, 
having  but  three  attendants,  it  would  have  been  unwise  to  go 
farther  in  that  direction.  Instead  of  healing  quietly,  as  hereto- 
fore, when  torn  by  hard  travel,  irritable-eating  ulcers  fastened  on 
both  feet,  and  I  limped  back  to  Bambarre  on  the  22d. 

The  accounts  of  Ramadan  (who  was  desired  by  me  to  take  notes 
as  he  went  in  the  forest)  were  discouraging,  and  made  me  glad  I 
did  not  go.  At  one  part,  where  the  tortuous  river  was  flooded, 
they  were  five  hours  in  the  water,  and  a  man  in  a  small  canoe 
went  before  them  sounding  for  places  not  too  deep  for  them, 
breast  and  chin  deep,  and  Hassani  fell  and  hurt  himself  sorely  in 
a  hole.  The  people  have  goats  and  sheep,  and  love  them  as  they 
do  children. 

[Fairly  bafiled  by  the  difficulties  in  his  way,  and  sorely  trou- 
bled by  the  demoralized  state  of  his  men,  who  appear  not  to  have 
l)eeti  proof  against  the  contaminating  presence  of  the  Arabs,  the 
doctor  turns  back  at  this  point.] 

July  Qt/i. — Back  to  Mamohela,  and  welcomed  by  the  Arabs, 
who  all  approved  of  my  turning  back.  Katomba  presented  abun- 
dant provisions  for  all  the  way  to  Bambarrd  Before  we  reached 
this,  Mohamad  made  a  forced  march,  and  Moenemokaia's  people 
came  out  drunk  :  tlie  Arabs  assaulted  them,  and  they  ran  ofl". 

July  2'6d. — The  sores  on  my  feet  now  laid  me  up  as  irritable- 
eating  ulcers.  If  the  foot  were  put  to  the  ground  a  discharge 
of  bloody  ichor  flowed,  and  the  same  discharge  happened  every 
night  with  considerable  pain,  that  prevented  sleep.    The  wailing 


LiriXGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


of  the  slaves  tortured  with  these  sores  is  one  of  the  night  sounds 
of  a  slave-camp  :  they  eat  through  every  thing — muscle,  tendon, 
and  bone,  and  often  lame  permanently,  if  they  do  not  kill  the 
poor  things.  Medicines  have  very  little  effect  on  such  wounds: 
their  periodicity  seems  to  say  that  they  are  allied  to  fever.  The 
Arabs  make  a  salve  of  bees-wax  and  sulphate  of  copper,  and  this 
applied  hot,  and  held  on  by  a  bandage,  affords  support,  but  the 
necessity  of  letting  the  ichor  escape  renders  it  a  painful  remedy : 
I  had  three  ulcers,  and  no  medicine.  The  native  plan  of  support 
by  means  of  a  stiff  leaf  or  bit  of  calabash  was  too  irritating,  and 
so  they  continued  to  eat  in  and  enlarge  in  spite  of  every  thing: 
the  vicinity  was  hot,  and  the  pain  increased  with  the  size  of  the 
wound. 

August  2(7. — An  eclipse. at  midnight:  the  Moslems  called  loud- 
ly on  Moses.    Very  cold. 

On  August  17th,  Monanyembe,  the  chief  who  was  punished  by 
Mohamad  Bogharib  lately,  came  bringing  two  goats;  one  he  gave 
to  Mohamad,  the  other  to  Moenekuss's  son,  acknowledging  that 
he  had  killed  his  elder  brother:  he  had  killed  eleven  persons 
over  at  Linamo  in  our  absence,  in  addition  to  those  killed  in  vil- 
lages on  our  south-east,  when  v/e  were  away.  It  transpired  that 
Kandahara,  brother  of  old  Moenekuss,  whose  village  is  near  this, 
killed  three  women  and  a  child,  and  that  a  trading- man  came 
over  from  Kasangangayc,  and  was  murdered  too,  for  no  reason 
but  to  eat  his  body.  Mohamad  ordered  old  Kandahara  to  bring 
ten  goats  and  take  them  over  to  Kasangangayd  to  pay  for  the 
murdered  man.  When  they  tell  of  each  other's  deeds  they  dis- 
close a  horrid  state  of  blood-thirsty  callousness.  The  people  over 
a  hill  north-north -east  of  this  killed  a  person  out  hoeing:  if  a  cul- 
tivator is  alone,  he  is  almost  sure  of  being  slain.  Some  said  that 
people  in  the  vicinity,  or  hyenas,  stole  the  buried  dead  ;  but  Po- 
sho's  wife  died,  and,  in  Wanyamesi  fashion,  was  thrown  out  of 
camp  unburicd.  Mohamad  threatened  an  attack  if  Manyuema 
did  not  cease  exhuming  the  dead.  It  was  effectual ;  neither  men 
nor  hyenas  touched  her,  though  exposed  now  for  seven  days. 

The  head  of  Moendkuss  is  said  to  be  preserved  in  a  pot  in  his 
house,  and  all  public  matters  are  gravely  communicated  to  it,  as 
if  liis  spirit  dwelt  therein  :  his  body  was  eaten  ;  the  flesh  was  re- 
moved from  the  head  and  eaten  too ;  his  father's  head  is  said  to 
be  kept  also.  The  foregoing  refers  to  Bambarrd  alone.  In  otlier 
districts  graves  sliow  that  sepulture  is  customary,  but  here  no 
grave  aj>pears:  some  admit  the  existence  of  the  practice  here, 
others  deny  it.    In  the  Metamba  country  adjacent  to  the  Lua- 


EESEMBLANCE  TO  THE  GABDEN  OF  EDEX. 


321 


laba,  a  quarrel  with  a  wife  often  ends  in  the  husband  kilHng  her 
and  eating  her  heart,  mixed  up  in  a  huge  mess  of  goats'  flesh: 
this  has  the  charm  character.  Fingers  are  taken  as  charms  in 
other  parts,  but  in  Barbarre  alone  is  the  depraved  taste  the  mo- 
tive for  cannibalism. 

Bambarke,  August  18th. — I  learn  from  Josut  and  Moenepemb^, 
who  have  been  to  Katanga  and  beyond,  that  there  is  a  lake  north- 
north-west  of  the  copper  mines,  and  twelve  days  distant ;  it  is  call- 
ed Chibungo,  and  is  said  to  be  large.  Seven  days  west  of  Ka- 
tanga flows  another  Lualaba,  the  dividing  line  between  Rua  and 
Lunda,  or  Londa.  It  is  very  large  ;  and  as  the  Lufira  flows  into 
Chibungo,  it  is  probable  that  the  Lualaba  West  and  the  Lufira 
form  the  lake.  Lualaba  West  and  Lufira  rise  by  fountains  south 
of  Katanga,  three  or  four  days  off.  Luambai  and  Lunga  fount- 
ains are  only  about  ten  miles  distant  from  Lualaba  West  and 
Lufira  fountains:  a  mound  rises  between  them,  the  most  remarlc- 
able  in  Africa.  Were  this  spot  in  Armenia,  it  would  serve  ex- 
actly the  description  of  the  Garden  of  Eden  in  Genesis,  with  its 
four  rivers,  the  Gilion,  Pisoii,  Hiddekel,  and  Euphrates.  As  it  is, 
it  possibly  gave  occasion  to  the  story  told  to  Herodotus  by  the 
Secretary  of  Minerva  in  the  city  of  SaVs,  about  two  hills  with 
conical  tops,  Crophi  and  Mophi.  "Midway  between  them,"  said 
he,  "are  the  fountains  of  the  Nile,  fountains  which  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  fathom:  half  the  water  runs  northward  into  Egypt;  half 
to  the  south  toward  Ethiopia." 

Four  fountains  rising  so  near  to  each  other  would  readily  be 
supposed  to  have  one  source;  and  half  the  water  flowing  into 
the  Nile  and  the  other  half  to  the  Zambesi,  required  but  little 
imagination  to  originate,  seeing  the  actual  visitor  would  not  feel 
bound  to  say  how  the  division  was  effected.  He  could  only 
know  the  fact  of  waters  rising  at  one  spot,  and  separating  to  flow 
north  and  south.  The  conical  tops  to  the  mound  look  like  in- 
vention, as  also  do  the  names. 

A  slave,  bought  on  Lualaba  East,  came  from  Lualaba  West  in 
about  twelve  days.  These  two  Lualabas  may  form  the  loop  de- 
picted by  J'tolemy,  and  upper  and  lower  Tanganyika  be  a  third 
arm  of  the  Nile. 

Patience  is  all  I  can  exercise:  those  irritable  ulcers  hedge  me 
in  now,  as  did  my  attendants  in  June;  but  all  will  be  for  the  best, 
for  it  is  in  Providence,  and  not  in  me. 

The  water-shed  is  between  seven  and  eight  hundred  miles  long 
from  west  to  east,  or  say  from  22°  or  23°  to  34°  or  35°  cast  lon- 
gitude.   Parts  of  it  are  enormous  sponges;  in  other  parts  iuuu- 

22 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


inerable  rills  unite  into  rivulets,  which  again  form  rivers;  Lnfiia, 
for  instance,  has  nine  rivulets,  and  Lekulwe  other  nine.  The 
convex  surface  of  the  nose  of  a  garden  watering-can  is  a  tolera- 
bly apt  similitude,  as  the  rills  do  not  spring  off  the  face  of  it,  and 
it  is  seven  hundred  miles  across  the  circle;  but  in  the  numbers  of 
rills  coming  out  at  different  heights  on  the  slope  there  is  a  faint 
resemblance,  and  I  can  at  present  think  of  no  other  example. 

I  am  a  little  thankful  to  old  Nile  for  so  hiding  his  head  that  all 
"  theoretical  discoverers  "  are  left  out  in  the  cold.  With  all  real 
explorers  I  have  a  hearty  sympathy ;  and  I  have  some  regret  at 
being  obliged,  in  a  manner  compelled,  to  speak  somewhat  dispar- 
agingly of  the  opinions  formed  by  my  predecessors.  The  work 
of  Speke  and  Grant  is  part  of  the  history  of  this  region ;  and 
since  the  discovery  of  the  sources  of  the  Nile  was  asserted  so 
positively,  it  seems  necessary  to  explain,  not  .offensively,  I  hope, 
wherein  their  mistake  lay  in  making  a  somewhat  similar  claijn. 
My  opinions  may  yet  be  shown  to  be  mistaken  too,  but  at  pres- 
ent I  can  not  conceive  how.  When  Speke  discovered  Victoria 
Nyanza  in  1858,  he  at  once  concluded  that  therein  lay  the  sources 
of  the  Nile.  His  work  after  that  was  simply  following  a  fore- 
gone conclusion,  and  as  soon  as  he  and  Grant  looked  toward  the 
Victoria  Nyanza,  they  turned  their  backs  on  the  Nile  fountains; 
so  every  step  of  their  splendid  achievement  of  following  the  river 
down  took  them  farther  and  farther  away  from  the  Caput  Nili. 
When  it  was  perceived  that  the  little  river  that  leaves  the  Nyan- 
za, though  they  called  it  the  White  Nile,  would  not  account  for 
that  great  river,  they  might  have  gone  west  and  found  head-wa- 
ters (as  the  Lualaba)  to  which  it  can  bear  no  comparison.  Tak- 
ing their  W^hite  Nile  at  eighty  or  ninety  yards,  or  say  one  hun- 
dred yards  broad,  the  Lualaba,  far  south  of  the  latitude  of  its 
point  of  departure,  shows  an  average  breadth  of  from  four  to  six 
thousand  yards,  and  always  deep. 

Considering  that  more  than  sixteen  hundred  years  have  elapsed 
since  Ptolemy  put  down  the  results  of  early  explorers,  and  em- 
perors, kings,  philosophers  —  all  the  great  men  of  antiquity,  in 
short  —  longed  to  know  the  fountains  whence  flowed  the  famous 
river,  and  longed  in  vain,  exploration  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
very  becoming  to  the  other  sex  either.  Miss  Tinnc  came  far- 
ther up  the  river  than  the  centurions  sent  by  Nero  Caesar,  and 
showed  such  indomitable  pluck  as  to  reflect  honor  on  her  race. 
T  know  nothing  about  iicr  save  what  has  appeared  in  tlie  public 
papers;  but  taking  her  ex])loration  along  with  what  was  done  by 
Mrs.  Baker,  no  long  time  could  have  ela{)sed  before  the  laurels 


THE  SOKO. 


323 


for  the  modern  rediscovery  of  the  sources  of  the  Nile  should  have 
been  plucked  by  the  ladies.  In  1841  the  Egyptian  expedition 
under  D'Arnauld  and  Sabatier  reached  lat.  4°  42':  this  was  a 
great  advance  into  the  interior,  as  compared  with  Linant  in  1827, 
13°  30'  N".,  and  even  on  the  explorations  of  Jomard  (?);  but  it 
turned  when  nearly  a  thousand  miles  from  the  sources. 

[The  subjoined  account  of  the  soko — which  is  in  all  probabili- 
ty an  entirely  new  species  of  chimpanzee,  and  not  the  gorilla,  is 
exceedingly  interesting,  and  no  doubt  Livingstone  had  plenty  of 
stories  from  which  to  select.  Neither  Susi  nor  Chuma  can  iden- 
tify the  soko  of  Manyuema  with  the  gorilla,  as  we  have  it  stuffed 
in  the  British  Museum.  They  think,  however,  that  the  soko  is 
quite  as  large  and  as  strong  as  the  gorilla,  judging  by  the  spec- 
imens shown  to  them,  although  they  could  have  decided  with 
greater  certainty  if  the  natives  had  not  invariably  brought  in  the 
dead  sokos  disemboweled;  as  they  point  out,  and  as  we  imagine 
from  Dr.  Livingstone's  description,  the  carcass  would  then  appear 
much  less  bulky.  Livingstone  gives  an  animated  sketch  of  a 
soko-hunt.] 

August  24:th.  —  Four  gorillas,  or  sokos,  were  killed  yesterday: 
an  extensive  grass-burning  forced  them  out  of  their  usual  haunt, 
and,  coming  on  the  plain,  they  were  speared.  They  often  go 
erect,  but  place  the  hand  on  the  head,  as  if  to  steady  the  body. 
When  seen  thus,  the  soko  is  an  ungainly  beast.  The  most  senti- 
mental young  lady  would  not  call  him  a  "dear,"  but  a  bandy- 
' 'gged,  pot-bellied,  low-looking  villain,  without  a  particle  of  the 
■iitleman  in  him.  Other  animals,  especially  the  antelopes,  are 
raceful,  and  it  is  pleasant  to  see  them,  either  at  rest  or  in  mo- 
tion :  the  natives  also  are  well  made,  lithe  and  comely  to  behold ; 
but  the  soko,  if  large,  would  do  well  to  stand  for  a  picture  of  the 
devil. 

lie  takes  away  my  appetite  by  his  disgusting  bestialit}'  of  ap- 
pearance. His  light-yellow  face  shows  off  liis  ugly  whiskers  and 
Hiint  apology  for  a  beard  ;  the  forehead,  villainously  low,  with 
high  ears,  is  well  in  the  background  of  the  great  dog-mouth  ;  the 
teeth  are  slightly  human,  but  the  canines  show  the  beast  by  their 
large  development,  "^riie  hands,  or  rather  the  fingers,  arc  like 
those  of  the  natives.  The  flesh  of  the  feet  is  yellow,  and  the  ea- 
gerness with  which  the  Manyuema  devour  it  loaves  the  impres- 
sion that  eating  .sokos  was  the  first  stngc  by  which  they  arrived 
at  being  cannii)als:  they  say  the  flesh  is  delicious.  The  soko  is 
represented  by  .some  to  be  extremely  knowing,  successfully  stalk- 
ing men  and  women  while  at  their  work,  kidnaping  children  and 


324 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


running  up  trees  with  them  :  he  seems  to  be  amused  by  the  sight 
of  the  young  native  in  his  arms,  but  comes  down  when  tempted 
by  a  bunch  of  bananas,  and,  as  he  lifts  that,  drops  the  child:  the 
3'Oung  soko  in  such  a  case  would  cling  closely  to  the  armpit  of 
the  elder.  One  man  was  cutting  out  honey  from  a  tree,  and  na- 
ked, when  a  soko.  suddenly  appeared  and  caught  him,  then  let 
him  go.  Another  man  was  hunting,  and  missed  in  his  attempt  to 
stab  a  soko :  it  seized  the  spear  and  broke  it,  then  grappled  with 
the  man,  who  called  to  his  companions,  "Soko  has  caught  me:" 
the  soko  bit  off  the  ends  of  his  fingers  and  escaped  unharmed. 
Both  men  are  now  alive  at  Bambarre. 

The  soko  is  so  cunning,  and  has  such  sharp  eyes,  that  no  one 
can  stalk  him  in  front  without  being  seen  ;  hence,  when  shot,  it 
is  always  in  the  back;  when  surrounded  by  men  and  nets,  he  is 
generally  speared  in  the  back  too;  otherwis.e  he  is  not  a  very 
formidable  beast:  he  is  nothing,  as  compared  in  power  of  dam- 
aging his  assailant,  to  a  leopard  or  lion,  but  is  more  like  a  man 
unarmed,  for  it  does  not  occur  to  him  to  use  his  canine  teeth, 
which  are  long  and  formidable.  Numbers  of  them  come  down 
in  the  forest  within  a  hundred  yards  of  our  camp,  and  would  be 
unknown  but  for  giving  tongue  like  fox-hounds:  this  is  their 
nearest  approach  to  speech.  A  man  hoeing  was  stalked  by  a 
soko  and  seized  ;  he  roared  out,  but  the  soko  giggled  and  grin- 
ned, and  left  him  as  if  he  had  done  it  in  pla}'.  A  child  caught 
up  by  a  soko  is  often  abused  by  being  pinched  and  scratched, 
and  let  fall. 

The  soko  kills  the  leopard  occasionally  by  seizing  both  paws, 
and  biting  them  so  as  to  disable  them ;  he  then  goes  up  a  tree, 
groans  over  his  wound?,  and  sometimes  recovers,  while  the  leop- 
ard dies  :  at  other  times  both  soko  and  leopard  die.  The  lion 
kills  him  at  once,  and  sometimes  tears  his  limbs  off,  but  does  not 
oat  him.  The  soko  eats  no  flesh  ;  small  bananas  arc  his  dainties, 
but  not  maize.  His  food  consists  of  wild  fruits,  which  abound: 
one,  stafen^,  or  Manyucma  mamwa,  is  like  large  sweet  sop,  but 
indifferent  in  taste  and  flesh.  The  soko  brings  forth  at  times 
twins.  A  very  large  soko  was  seen  by  ^fohamad's  hunters  sit- 
ting picking  his  nails:  they  tried  to  stalk  him,  but  he  vanished. 
Some  Manyuema  think  that  their  buried  dead  rise  as  sokos,  and 
one  was  killed  with  holes  in  his  ears,  as  if  he  had  been  a  man. 
He  is  very  strong,  and  fears  guns,  but  not  spears :  he  never  catch- 
es women. 

Sokos  collect  together,  and  make  a  dnimmiiig  noise,  some  say 
with  hollow  trees,  then  burst  forth  into  loud  yells,  wliich  are  well 


I-OKIKAIT  OK  A  YOUNG  SOKO. 


SERIOUS  REFLECTIONS. 


325 


imitated  by  the  natives'  embryotic  music.  If  a  man  has  no  spear 
the  soko  goes  away  satisfied  ;  but  if  wounded,  he  seizes  the  wrist, 
lops  off  the  fingers,  and  spits  them  out,  slaps  the  cheeks  of  his 
victim,  and  bites  without  breaking  the  skin :  he  draws  out  a 
spear  (but  never  uses  it),  and  takes  some  leaves  and  stuffs  them 
into  his  wound  to  staunch  the  blood :  he  does  not  wish  an  en- 
counter with  an  armed  man.  He  sees  women  do  him  no  harm, 
and  never  molests  them:  a  man  without  a  spear  is  nearly  safe 
from  him.  They  beat  hollow  trees  as  drums  with  hands,  and 
then  scream  as  music  to  it :  when  men  hear  them,  they  go  to  the 
sokos ;  but  sokos  never  go  to  men  with  hostility.  Manyuema 
say,  "Soko  is  a  man,  and  nothing  bad  in  him." 

They  live  in  communities  of  about  ten,  each  having  his  own 
female:  an  intruder  from  another  camp  is  beaten  off  with  their 
fists  and  loud  yells.  If  one  tries  to  seize  the  female  of  another, 
he  is  caught  on  the  ground,  and  all  unite  in  boxing  and  biting 
the  offender.  A  male  often  carries  a  child,  especially  if  they  are 
passing  from  one  patch  of  forest  to  another  over  a  grassy  space ;  he 
then  gives  it  to  the  mother. 

I  now  spoke  with  my  friend  Mohamad,  and  he  offered  to  go 
with  me  to  see  Lualaba  from  Luarno;  but  I  explained  that  mere- 
ly to  see  and  measure  its  depth  would  not  do :  I  must  see  whith- 
er it  went.  This  would  require  a  number  of  his  people  in  lieu 
of  my  deserters ;  and  to  take  them  away  from  his  ivory  trade, 
which  at  present  is  like  gold  digging,  I  must  make  amends,  and 
I  offered  him  two  thousand  rupees,  and  a  gun  worth  seven  hun- 
dred rupees  —  two  tliousand  seven  hundred  rupees  in  all  —  or 
£270.  He  agreed,  and  should  he  enable  me  to  finish  up  my 
work  in  one  trip  dowm  Lualaba,  and  round  to  Lualaba  West,  it 
would  be  a  great  favor. 

[How  severely  he  felt  the  cfFccts  of  the  terrible  illnesses  of  the 
last  two  years  may  be  imagined  by  some  few  words  here,  and  it 
must  ever  be  regretted  that  the  conviction  which  he  speaks  of 
was  not  acted  up  to.] 

The  sevei'e  pneumonia  in  Marunga,  the  choleraic  complaint  in 
Manyuema,  and  now  irritable  ulcers,  warn  me  to  retire  while  life 
lasts.  Mohamad's  people  went  north,  and  east,  and  west,  from 
Ka.songa's:  sixteen  marches  north,  ten  ditto  west,  and  four  ditto 
cast  and  south-east.  The  average  march  was  six  hours  and  a 
half,  say  12',  about  200'  N.  and  W.,  lat.  of  Ka.songo,  say  4° 
south.  They  may  have  reached  1°,  2°  S.  They  were  now  in 
the  Balcggd  country,  and  turned.    It  was  all  dense  forest:  they 


326 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


never  saw  the  sun  except  when  at  a  village,  and  then  the  villages 
were  too  for  apart.  The  people  were  very  fond  of  sheep,  which 
they  call  ngombe,  or  ox,  and  tusks  are  never  used.  They  went 
off  to  where  an  elephant  had  formerly  been  killed,  and  brought 
the  tusks  rotted  and  eaten  or  gnawed  by  "  dere  "  (?) — a  rodent, 
probably  the  Aulocaudatus  swindtrianus.  Three  large  rivers 
were  crossed,  breast  and  chin  deep ;  in  one  they  were  five  hours, 
and  a  man  in  a  small  canoe  went  ahead  sounding  for  water  capa- 
ble of  being  waded.  Much  water  and  mud  in  the  forest.  This 
report  makes  me  thankful  I  did  not  go,  for  I  should  have  seen 
nothing,  and  been  worn  out  by  fatigue  and  mud.  They  tell  me 
that  the  Eiver  Metunda  had  black  water,  and  took  two  hours  to 
cross  it,  breast-deep.  They  crossed  about  forty  smaller  rivers 
over  the  River  Mohunga,  breast-deep.  The  river  of  Mbite  also 
is  large.  All  along  Lualaba  and  Metumbd  the  sheep  have  hairy 
dewlaps,  no  wool,  Tartar  breed  (?),  small  thin  tails. 

A  broad  belt  of  meadow-land,  with  no  trees,  lies  along  Luala- 
ba ;  beyond  that  it  is  all  dense  forest,  and  trees  so  large  that  one 
lying  across  the  path  is  breast-high :  clearances  exist  only  around 
the  villages.  The  people  are  very  expert  smiths  and  weavers 
of  the  "  lamba,"  and  make  fine  large  spears,  knives,  and  needles. 
Market-places,  called  "tokos,"  are  numerous  all  along  Lualaba; 
to  these  the  Barua  of  the  other  bank  come  daily  in  large  canoes, 
bringing  grass -cloth,  salt,  flour,  cassava,  fowls,  goats,  pigs,  and 
slaves.  The  women  are  beautiful,  with  straight  noses,  and  well 
clothed :  when  the  men  of  the  districts  are  at  war,  the  women 
take  their  goods  to  market  as  if  at  peace,  and  are  never  molested. 
All  are  very  keen  traders,  buying  one  thing  with  another,  and 
changing  back  again,  and  any  profit  made  is  one  of  the  enjoy- 
ments of  life. 

I  knew  that  my  deserters  hoped  to  be  fed  by  Mohamad  Bo- 
gharib  when  we  left  the  camp  at  Mamohela,  but  he  told  them 
that  he  would  not  have  them ;  this  took  them  aback ;  but  they 
went  and  lifted  his  ivory  for  him;  and  when  a  parley  was  thus 
brought  about,  talked  him  over,  saying  that  they  would  go  to 
me,  and  do  all  I  desired.  They  never  came;  but  as  no  one  else 
would  take  them,  I  gave  them  three  loads  to  go  to  Bambarr^; 
there  they  told  Mohamad  that  I  would  not  give  them  beads,  and 
they  did  not  like  to  steal ;  they  were  now  trying  to  get  his  food 
by  lies.  I  invited  them  three  times  to  come  and  take  beads;  but 
having  supplies  of  food  from  the  camp  women,  they  hoped  to  get 
the  upper  hand  with  me,  and  take  what  tliey  liked  by  refusing 
to  carry  or  work.    Mohamad  spoke  long  to  them,  but  speaking 


THE  DESERTERS. 


327 


mildly  makes  them  imagine  that  the  spokesman  is  afraid  of  them. 
They  kept  away  from  m_)  work,  and  would  fain  join  Mohamad's, 
but  he  will  not  have  them.  I  gave  beads  to  all  but  the  ringlead- 
ers. Their  conduct  looks  as  if  a  quarrel  had  taken  place  between 
us,  but  no  such  excuse  have  they. 

I  am  powerless,  as  they  have  left  me,  and  think  that  they  may 
do  as  they  like,  and  the  "Manyuema  are  bad"  is  the  song. 
Their  badness  consists  in  being  dreadfully  afraid  of  guns,  and 
the  Arabs  can  do  just  as  they  like  with  them  and  their  goods. 
If  spears  alone  were  used,  the  Manyuema  would  be  considered 
brave,  for  they  fear  no  one,  though  he  has  many  spears.  They 
tell  us  truly  "  that,  were  it  not  for  our  guns,  not  one  of  us  would 
return  to  our  own  country."  Moenemokaia  killed  two  Arab 
agents,  and  took  their  guns;  this  success  led  to  their  asserting,  in 
answer  to  the  remonstrances  of  the  women,  "We  shall  take  their 
goats,  guns,  and  women  from  them."  The  chief,  in  reporting  the 
matter  to  Moenemger  (?)  at  Luamo,  said,  "  The  Englishman  told 
my  people  to  go  away,  as  he  did  not  like  fighting;  but  my  men 
were  filled  with  '  malofu,' or  palm-toddy,  and  refused  to  their 
own  hurt."  Elsewhere  they  made  regular  preparation  to  have  a 
fight  with  Dugumbe's  people,  just  to  see  who  was  strongest  — 
they  with  their  spears  and  wooden  shields,  and  the  Arabs  with 
what,  in  derision,  they  called  tobacco-pipes  (guns).  They  killed 
eight  or  nine  Arabs. 

No  traders  seem  ever  to  have  come  in  before  this.  Barma 
brought  copper  and  skins  for  tusks,  and  the  Babisa  and  Baguha 
coarse  beads.  The  Bavira  are  now  enraged  at  seeing  Ujijians 
pass  into  their  ivory  field,  and  no  wonder.  They  took  the  tusks 
which  cost  them  a  few  strings  of  beads,  and  received  weight  foi- 
weight  in  beads,  thick  brass  wire,  and  loads  of  calico. 


LIVIXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JO  LUX  A  LS. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Footsteps  of  Moses.— Geology  of  Manj-iiema  Land. — "A  Drop  of  Comfort," — Con- 
tinued Sufl'eiings. — A  stationary  Explorer. — Consequences  of  trusting  to  Theory. 
— Nomenclature  of  Rivers  and  Lakes. — Plunder  and  Murder  is  Ujijian  Trading. — 
Comes  out  of  Hut  for  first  Time  after  eighty  Days'  Illness.— Arab  Cure  for  ulcer- 
ated Sores. — Rumor  of  Letters. — The  Loss  of  Medicines  a  great  Trial  now. — The 
broken-hearted  Ciiief. — Return  of  Arab  Ivory-traders. — Future  Flans. — Thankful- 
ness for  Mr.  Edward  Young's  >Search  E.xpedition. — The  Horn-billed  Phoeni.x. — 
Tedious  Delays. — The  Bargain  for  the  Boy. — Sends  Letters  to  Zanzibar. — Ex- 
asperation of  Manyuema  against  Arabs. — The  "Sassassa  Bird." — The  Disease 
"  Safura." 

Bambarre,  August  2oih,  1870. — One  of  my,  waking  dreams  is 
that  the  legendary  tales  about  Moses  coming  up  into  Inner  Ethi- 
opia with  Merr,  his  foster-mother,  and  founding  a  city  which  he 
called  in  her  honor  "Meroe,"  may  have  a  substratum  of  fact 
He  was  evidently  a  man  of  transcendent  genius,  and  we  learn 
from  the  speech  of  St.  Stephen  that  "  he  was  learned  in  all  the 
wisdom  of  the  Egyptians,  and  was  mighty  in  words  and  in  deeds." 
His  deeds  must  have  been  well  known  in  Egj^pt,  for  "  he  sup- 
posed that  his  brethren  would  have  understood  how  that  God 
by  his  hand  would  deliver  them,  but  they  understood  not"  His 
supposition  could  not  be  founded  on  his  success  in  smiting  a  sin- 
gle Egyptian ;  he  was  too  great  a  man  to  be  elated  by  a  single 
act  of  prowess ;  but  his  success  on  a  large  scale  in  Ethiopia  af- 
forded reasonable  grounds  for  believing  that  his  brethren  would 
be  proud  of  their  countryman,  and  disposed  to  follow  his  leader- 
ship, but  they  were  slaves.  The  notice  taken  of  the  matter  by 
Pharaoh  showed  that  he  was  eyed  by  the  great  as  a  dangerous, 
if  not  powerful,  man.  He  "dwelt"  in  Midian  for  some  time  be- 
fore his  gallant  bearing  toward  the  shepherds  by  the  well  com- 
mended him  to  the  priest  or  prince  of  the  country.  An  unin- 
teresting wife,  and  the  want  of  intercourse  with  kindred  spirits 
during  the  long  forty  years'  solitude  of  a  herdsman's  life,  seem  to 
have  acted  injuriously  on  his  spirits;  and  it  was  not  till  he  had 
with  Aaron  struck  terror  into  the  Egyptian  mind  that  the  "  man 
Moses"  again  became  "very  great  in  the  eyes  of  Pharaoh  and 
his  servants."  The  Ethiopian  woman  whom  he  married  could 
scarcely  be  the  daughter  of  Reuel  or  Jethro,  for  Midian  was 
descended  from  K(;turah,  Abraham's  concubine,  and  they  were 
never  considered  Cusljitc  or  Ethiopian.    li'  lie  left  his  wife  in 


DREADFUL  SUFFERING. 


329 


Egypt,  she  would  now  be  some  fifty  or  sixty  years  old,  and  all 
the  more  likely  to  be  despised  by  the  proud  prophetess  Miriam 
as  a  daughter  of  Ham. 

I  dream  of  discovering  some  monumental  relics  of  Meroe ;  and 
if  any  thing  confirmatory  of  sacred  history  does  remain,  I  pray  to 
be  guided  thereunto.  If  the  sacred  chronology  would  thereby 
be  confirmed,  I  would  not  grudge  the  toil  and  hardships,  hunger 
and  pain,  I  have  endured  —  the  irritable  ulcers  would  only  be 
discipline. 

Above  the  fine  yellow  clay  schist  of  Manyuema  the  banks  of 
Tanganyika  reveal  fifty  feet  of  shingle  mixed  with  red  earth; 
above  this  at  some  parts  great  boulders  lie;  after  this  sixty  feet  of 
fine  clay  schist,  then  five  strata  of  gravel  underneath,  with  a  foot 
stratum  of  schist  between  them.  The  first  seam  of  gravel  is  about 
two  feet,  the  second  four  feet,  and  the  lowest  of  all  about  thirty 
feet  thick.  The  fine  schist  was  formed  in  still  water;  but  the 
shingle  must  have  been  produced  in  stormy,  troubled  seas,  if  not 
carried  hither  and  thither  by  ice,  and  at  different  epochs. 

This  Manyuema  country  is  unhealthy,  not  so  much  from  fever 
as  from  debility  of  the  whole  system,  induced  by  damp,  cold,  and 
indigestion  :  this  general  weakness  is  ascribed  by  some  to  maize 
being  the  common  food  ;  it  shows  itself  in  weakness  of  bowels 
and  choleraic  purging.  This  may  be  owing  to  bad  water,  of 
which  there  is  no  scarcity;  but  it  is  so  impregnated  with  dead 
vegetable  matter  as  to  have  the  color  of  tea.  Irritable  ulcers 
fasten  on  any  part  abraded  by  accident,  and  it  seems  to  be  a 
spreading  fungus;  for  the  matter  settling  on  any  part  near  be- 
comes a  fresh  centre  of  propagation.  The  vicinity  of  the  ulcer  is 
very  tender,  and  it  eats  in  friglitfully  if  not  allowed  rest.  Many 
slaves  die  of  it,  and  its  periodical  discharges  of  bloody  ichor  make 
me  suspect  it  to  be  a  development  of  fever.  I  have  found  lunai- 
caustic  useful :  a  [)laster  of  wax  and  a  little  finely-ground  sulphate 
of  copper  is  used  by  the  Arabs,  and  so  is  cocoa-nut  oil  and  butter. 
These  ulcers  are  excessivel}'^  intractable ;  there  is  no  healing  tliem 
before  they  eat  into  the  bone,  especially  on  the  shins. 

liheurnatism  is  also  common,  and  it  cuts  the  natives  off.  The 
traders  fear  the.sc  diseases,  and  come  to  a  stand  if  attacked,  in 
order  to  use  rest  in  the  cure.  ''Taenia,"  or  tape -worm,  is  fre- 
quently met  with,  and  no  remedy  is  known  ainong  the  Arabs 
and  natives  for  it. 

[Searching  in  his  closf>]y  -  written  pocket- books,  we  find  many 
little  nu'tnentos  of  his  travels;  such,  for  instance,  as  two  or  three 
tsetse  flics  j)rcssed  between  the  leaves  of  one  book;  some  bees, 


330 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


some  leaves,  and  moths  in  another ;  but,  hidden  away  in  the 
pocket  of  the  note-book  wliich  Livingstone  used  during  the  long- 
est and  most  painful  illness  he  ever  underwent,  lies  a  small  scrap 
of  printed  paper  which  tells  a  tale  in  its  own  simple  way.  Oq 
one  side  there  is  written  in  his  well-known  hand :] 

"Turn  over  and  see  a  drop  of  comfort  found  when  suffering 
from  irritable -eating  ulcers  on  the  feet  in  Manyuema,  August, 
1870." 

[On  the  reverse  we  see  that  the  scrap  was  evidently  snipped 
off  a  list  of  books  advertised  at  the  end  of  some  volume  which, 
with  the  tea  and  other  things  sent  to  Ujiji,  had  reached  him  be- 
fore setting  out  on  this  perilous  journey.  The  "  drop  of  comfort" 
is  as  follows :] 

"A  NARRATIVE  OF  AN  EXPEDITION  TO  THE  ZAM- 
BESI AND  ITS  TRIBUTARIES, 
"and  the  discovery  of  lakes  shirwa  and  nyassa. 
'■'■Fifth  Thousand.     TlV^/i  Map  and  Illustrations.    8vo.  2l6'. 

"'Few  achievements  in  our  day  have  made  a  greater  impres- 
sion than  that  of  the  adventurous  missionary  who,  unaided,  cross- 
ed the  Continent  of  Equatorial  Africa.  His  unassuming  sim- 
plicity, his  varied  intelligence,  his  indomitable  pluck,  his  steady 
religious  purpose,  form  a  combination  of  qualities  rarely  found  in 
one  man.  By  common  consent.  Dr.  Livingstone  has  come  to  be 
regarded  as  one  of  the  most  remarkable  travelers  of  his  own  or 
of  any  other  age.' — British  Quarterly  Review.''^ 

[The  kindly  pen  of  the  reviewer  served  a  good  turn  when 
there  was  "no  medicine"  but  the  following:] 

I  was  at  last  advised  to  try  malachite,  rubbed  down  with  water 
on  a  stone,  and  applied  with  a  feather:  this  is  the  only  thing 
that  has  any  beneficial  effect. 

September  9th,  1870. — A  Londa  slave  stole  ten  goats  from  the 
Manyuema:  he  was  bound,  but  broke  loose,  and  killed  two  goats 
yesterday.  He  was  given  to  the  Manyuema.  The  Balonda  evi- 
dently sold  their  criminals  only.  He  was  shorn  of  his  ears,  and 
would  have  been  killed,  but  Monangoi  said,  "Don't  let  the  blood 
of  a  freeman  touch  our  soil." 

Septemherr  26th. — I  am  able  now  to  report  the  ulcers  healing. 
For  eighty  days  I  have  been  completely  laid  up  by  them,  and  it 
will  be  long  ere  the  lost  substance  will  be  re])laced.    They  kill 


ANXIOUS  ABOUT  LETTERS. 


331 


many  slaves  ;  and  an  epidemic  came  to  us  which  carried  off  thirty 
in  our  small  camp.* 

[We  come  to  a  very  important  note  under  the  next  date.  It 
may  be  necessary  to  remind  the  reader  that  when  Livingstone 
left  the  neighborliood  of  Lake  Nyassa  and  bent  his  steps  north- 
ward, he  believed  that  the  "Chambeze"'  River,  which  the  natives 
reported  to  be  ahead  of  him,  was  in  reality  the  Zambesi,  for  he 
held  in  his  hand  a  map  manufactured  at  home,  and  so  convenient- 
ly manipulated  as  to  clear  up  a  great  difficulty  by  simply  insert- 
ing "New  Zambesi"  in  the  place  of  the  Chambeze.  As  we  now 
see,  Livingstone  handed  back  this  addled  geographical  egg  to 
its  progenitor,  who,  we  regret  to  say,  has  not  only  smashed  it  in 
wrath,  but  has  treated  us  to  so  much  of  its  savor  in  a  pamphlet 
written  against  the  deceased  explorer  that  few  will  care  to  turn 
over  its  leaves. 

However,  the  African  traveler  has  a  warning  held  up  before 
him  which  may  be  briefly  summed  up  in  a  caution  to  be  on  the 
lookout  for  constant  repetitions,  in  one  form  or  another,  of  the 
.same  name.  Endless  confusion  has  arisen  from  Nyassas  and 
Nyanzas,  from  Cliiroas  and  Kiroas  and  Shirwas,  to  say  nothing 
of  Zarnbesis  and  Cliambez(iS.  The  natives  are  just  as  prone  to 
perpetuate  Zambesi  or  Lufira  in  Africa  as  we  are  to  multiply  our 
Avons  and  Ouses  in  England.] 

October  ith,  1870. — A  trading-party  from  Lfjiji  reports  an  epi- 
demic raging  between  the  coast  and  Ujiji,  and  very  fatal.  Syde 
bin  ILibib  and  Dugumbc  are  coming,  and  they  have  letters  and 
perhaps  people  for  me ;  so  I  remain,  though  the  irritable  ulcers 
are  well-nigh  healed.  I  fear  that  my  packet  for  the  coast  may 
have  fared  badly,  for  the  Lewale  has  kept  Musa  Kamaal  by  him, 
so  that  no  evidence  against  himself  or  the  dishonest  man,  Musa 
bin  Saloom,  should  be  given :  my  box  and  guns,  with  dispatches, 
I  fear  will  never  be  .sent.  Zalior,  to  whom  I  gave  calico  to  pay 
carriers,  has  been  sent  off  to  Lobcmba. 

Mohamad  sowed  rice  yesterday,  and  has  to  send  his  people 
(who  were  unsuccessful  among  the  Bal<;)gga)  away  to  the  Metam- 
be,  where  they  got  ivory  before. 

I  can  not  understand  very  well  what  a  "  theoretical  discover- 

*  A  precisely  similar  epidemic  broke  out  nt  the  settlement  nt  Mngomero,  in  which 
fiftv-fotir  of  the  slaves  liheratcil  by  Dr.  Livingstone  and  Bishop  Mackenzie  died.  This 
disease  is  by  far  tlic  most  fatal  scourge  the  natives  sutler  froni,  not  even  excepting 
^mall-pox.  It  is  common  throujrhout  Tro|)ical  Africa.  Wo  believe  that  .some  im- 
portant  facts  luive  recently  been  brou>;ht  to  light  regarding  it,  and  we  can  only  trust 
sincerely  that  the  true  nature  of  the  disorder  will  be  know  n  in  lime,  .so  that  it  nniy  be 
successfully  treated  :  at  ])resent,  change  of  air  and  liigli  feeding  on  a  meat  diet  are  the 
best  ivmedies  we  know. — Ei>. 


332 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


er"  is.  If  any  one  got  up  and  declared  in  a  public  meeting  that 
he  was  the  theoretical  discoverer  of  the  philosopher's  stone,  or  of 
perpetual  motion  for  watches,  should  we  not  mark  him  as  a  little 
wrong  in  the  head?  So  of  the  Nile  sources.  The  Portuguese 
crossed  the  Chambeze  some  seventy  years  before  I  did,  but  to 
them  it  was  a  branch  of  the  Zambesi,  and  nothing  more.  Cooley 
put  it  down  as  the  New  Zambesi,  and  made  it  run  backward,  up- 
hill, between  three  and  four  thousand  feet!  I  was  misled  by  the 
similarity  of  names  and  a  map,  to  think  it  the  eastern  branch  of 
the  Zambesi ;  I  was  told  that  it  formed  a  large  water  in  the  south- 
west. This  I  readily  believed  to  be  the  Liambai,  in  the  Barotsi' 
Valley,  and  it  took  me  eighteen  months  of  toil  to  come  back 
again  to  the  Chambeze,  in  Lake  Bangweolo,  and  work  out  the 
error  into  which  I  was  led ;  twenty-two  months  elapsed  ere  I  got 
back  to  the  point  whence  I  set  out  to  explore  Chambeze,  Bang- 
weolo, Luapula,  Moero,  and  Lualaba.  I  spent  two  full  years  at 
this  work,  and  the  chief  Casembe  was  the  first  to  throw  light  on 
the  subject  by  saying,  "It  is  the  same  water  here  as  in  the  Cham- 
beze, the  same  in  Moero  and  Lualaba;  and  one  piece  of  water  is 
just  like  another.  Will  you  draw  out  calico  from  it  that  you 
wish  to  see  it?  As  your  chief  desired  you  to  see  Bangweolo,  go 
to  it,  and  if  in  going  north  yo\i  see  a  traveling  party,  join  it;  if 
not,  come  back  to  me,  and  I  will  send  you  safely  by  my  path 
along  Moero." 

The  central  Lualaba  I  would  fain  call  the  Lake  River  Webb; 
the  western,  the  Lake  River  Young.  The  Lufira  and  Lualaba 
West  form  a  lake,  the  native  name  of  which,  "  Chibungo,"  must 
give  way  to  Lake  Lincoln.  I  wish  to  name  the  fountain  of  the 
Liambai,  or  Upper  Zambesi,  Palmerston  Fountain,  and  adding 
that  of  Sir  Bartle  Frere  to  the  fountain  of  Lufira — three  names 
of  men  who  have  done  more  to  abolish  slavery  and  the  slave- 
trade  than  any  of  their  contemporaries. 

[Through  the  courtesy  of  the  Earl  of  Derby,  we  are  able  to 
insert  a  paragraph  here  which  occurs  in  a  dispatch  written  to  Her 
Majesty's  Foreign  Office  by  Dr.  Livingstone  a  few  weeks  before 
his  death.  He  treats  more  fully  in  it  upon  the  different  names 
that  he  gave  to  the  most  important  rivers  and  lakes  which  he 
discovered,  and  we  see  how  he  cherished  to  the  last  the  fond 
memory  of  old,  well-tried  friendships,  and  the  great  examples  of 
men  like  President  Lincoln  and  Lord  Palmerston.] 

"I  have  tried  to  honor  the  name  of  the  good  Lord  Palmerston, 
in  fond  remembrance  of  his  long  and  unwearied  labor  for  the 
abolition  of  the  slave-trade;  and  1  venture  to  place  the  name  of 


MORE  UJIJIAX  TRADING. 


333 


the  good  and  noble  Lincoln  on  the  Lake,  in  gratitude  to  him  who 
gave  freedom  to  four  millions  of  slaves.  These  two  great  men  are 
no  longer  among  us;  but  it  pleases  me,  here  in  the  wilds,  to  place, 
as  it  were,  my  poor  little  garland  of  love  on  their  tombs.  Sir 
Bartle  Frere  having  accomplished  the  grand  work  of  abolishing 
slavery  in  Scindiah,  Upper  India,  deserves  the  gratitude  of  every 
lover  of  human  kind. 

"Private  friendship  guided  me  in  the  selection  of  other  names 
where  distinctive  epithets  were  urgently  needed.  'Paraffin' 
Young,  one  of  my  teachers  in  chemistry,  raised  himself  to  be  a 
merchant  prince  by  his  science  and  art,  and  has  shed  pure  white 
light  in  many  lowly  cottages,  and  in  some  rich  palaces.  Leaving 
him  and  chemistry,  I  went  away  to  try  and  bless  others.  I,  too, 
have  shed  light  of  another  kind,  and  am  fain  to  believe  that  I 
have  performed  a  small  part  in  the  grand  revolution  which  our 
Maker  has  been  for  ages  carrying  on,  by  multitudes  of  conscious 
and  many  unconscious  agents  all  over  the  w^orld.  Young's  friend- 
ship never  faltered. 

"  Oswell  and  Webb  were  fellow-travelers,  and  mighty  hunters. 
Too  much  engrossed  myself  with  mission-work  to  hunt,  except 
for  the  children's  larder,  when  going  to  visit  distant  tribes,  I  rel- 
ished the  sight  of  fair  stand-up  fights  by  my  friends  with  the  large 
denizens  of  the  forest,  and  admired  the  true  Nimrod  class  for  their 
great  courage,  truthfulness,  and  honor.  Being  a  warm  lover  of 
natural  history,  the  entire  butcher  tribe,  bent  only  on  making  'a 
bagj  without  regard  to  animal  suffering,  have  not  a  single  kind- 
ly word  from  me.  An  Ambonda  man,  named  Mokantju,  told 
Oswell  and  me  in  1851  that  the  Liambai  and  Kafuc  rose  as  one 
fountain  and  then  separated,  but  after  a  long  course  came  to- 
gether again  in  the  Zambesi  above  Zumbo." 

Oduher  Sth. — Mbarawa  and  party  came  yesterday  from  Katom- 
ba  at  Mamohela.  He  reports  that  Jangeong<5  (?),  with  Moeneo- 
kela's  men,  had  been  killing  people  of  the  Metamba,  or  forest,  and 
four  of  his  people  were  slain.  He  intended  fighting;  hence  his 
desire  to  get  rid  of  me  when  I  went  north  :  he  got  one  tusk  and  a 
half,  but  little  ivory,  but  Katomba's  party  got  fifty  tusks ;  Ab- 
dullah had  got  two  tusks,  and  had  also  been  fighting,  and  Ka- 
tomba  had  sent  a  fighting-])arfy  down  to  Lolinde:  plunder  and 
murder  is  Ujijian  trading.  Mbarawa  got  his  ivory  on  the  Lindi, 
or,  as  he  says,  "  Urindi,"  which  has  black  water,  and  is  very  large: 
an  arrow  could  not  be  shot  across  its  stream,  four  or  live  hundred 
yards  wide.  It  had  to  be  crossed  by  canoes,  and  goes  into  Lua- 
laba.    It  is  curious  that  all  think  it  necessary  to  say  to  me,  "  Tlic 

23 


334 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Manyuema  are  bad,  very  bad  the  Balegga  will  be  let  alone,  be- 
cause they  can  fight,  and  we  shall  hear  nothing  of  their  badness. 

October  lOih. — I  came  out  of  my  hut  to-day,  after  being  con- 
fined to  it  since  the  22d  of  July,  or  eighty  days,  by  irritable  ulcers 
on  the  feet.  The  last  twenty  days  I  suffered  from  fever,  which 
reduced  my  strength,  taking  away  my  voice,  and  purging  me. 
My  appetite  was  good,  but  the  third  mouthful  of  any  food  caused 
nausea  and  vomiting;  purging  took  place,  and  profuse  sweating: 
it  was  choleraic,  and  how  many  Manyuema  died  of  it  we  could 
not  ascertain.  While  this  epidemic  raged  here,  we  heard  of  chol- 
era terribly  severe  on  the  way  to  the  coast.  I  am  thankful  to 
feel  myself  well. 

Only  one  ulcer  is  open,  the  size  of  a  split  pea :  malachite  was 
the  remedy  most  useful,  but  the  beginning  of  the  rains  may  have 
helped  the  cure,  as  it  does  to  others ;  copper  rubbed  down  is  used 
when  malachite  can  not  be  had.  We  expect  Syde  bin  Habib 
soon :  he  will  take  to  the  river,  and  I  hope  so  shall  I.  The  na- 
tive traders  reached  people  who  had  horns  of  oxen,  got  from  the 
left  bank  of  the  Lualaba.  Katomba's  people  got  most  ivory, 
namely,  fifty  tusks  ;  the  others  only  four.  The  Metamba,  or  for- 
est, is  of  immense  extent,  and  there  is  room  for  much  ivory  to  be 
picked  up  at  five  or  seven  bracelets  of  copper  per  tusk,  if  the 
slaves  sent  will  only  be  merciful.  The  nine  villages  destroyed, 
and  one  hundred  men  killed,  by  Katomba's  slaves  at  Nasangwa's, 
were  all  about  a  string  of  beads  fastened  to  a  powder-horn,  which 
a  Manyuema  man  tried  in  vain  to  steal! 

Katomba  gets  twenty -five  of  the  fifty  tusks  brought  by  his 
people.  We  expect  letters,  and  perhaps  men,  by  Syde  bin  Ha- 
bib. No  news  from  the  coast  had  come  to  Ujiji,  save  a  rumor 
that  some  one  was  building  a  large  house  at  Bagamoio,  but  wheth- 
er French  or  English  no  one  can  say :  possibly  the  erection  of  a 
huge  establishment  on  the  main-land  may  be  a  way  of  laborious- 
ly proving  that  it  is  more  healtliy  than  the  island.  It  will  take  a 
long  time  to  prove  by  stone  and  lime  that  the  higher  lands,  two 
hundred  miles  inland,  are  better  still,  both  for  longevity  and 
work.*    I  am  in  agony  for  news  from  home,.  All  I  feel  sure  of 


*  Dr.  Livingstone  never  ceased  to  impress  npon  Europeans  the  utter  necessity  of 
living  on  tiie  high  tiihle-hmds  of  tlie  interior,  ratiicr  than  on  the  sea-hoaril,  or  the 
banks  of  tlie  great  arterial  rivers.  ISIen  may  escape  death  in  an  unhealthy  place,  hut 
the  system  is  cnfcehled,  and  energy  reduced  to  the  lowest  ebb.  Under  such  circum- 
stances, life  becomes  a  misery,  and  inijwrtant  results  can  hardly  be  looked  for  when 
one's  vitality  is  preocciii)iod  in  wrestling  witii  the  uuhealthincss  of  the  situation  day 
and  night. — Ed. 


VNGBATEFVL  GUESTS. 


335 


now  is  that  my  friends  will  all  wish  me  to  complete  my  task.  I 
join  in  the  wish  now,  as  better  than  doing  it  in  vain  afterward. 

The  Manyuema  hoeing  is  little  better  than  scraping  the  soil, 
and  cutting  through  the  roots  of  grass  and  weeds,  by  a  horizon- 
tal motion  of  the  hoe  or  knife;  they  leave  the  roots  of  maize, 
ground-nuts,  sweet-potatoes,  and  dura  to  find  their  way  into  the 
rich,  soft  soil,  and  well  they  succeed,  so  there  is  no  need  for  deep 
plowing:  the  ground-nuts  and  cassava  hold  their  own  against 
grass  for  years,  and  bananas,  if  cleared  of  weeds,  yield  abundant- 
ly. Mohamad  sowed  rice  just  outside  the  camp  without  any  ad- 
vantage being  secured  by  the  vicinity  of  a  rivulet,  and  it  yielded 
for  one  measure  of  seed  one  hundred  and  twenty  measures  of  in- 
crease. This  season  he  plants  along  the  rivulet  called  Bondd, 
and  on  the  damp  soil. 

The  rain-water  does  not  percolate  far,  for  the  clay  retains  it 
about  two  feet  beneath  the  surface  :  this  is  a  cause  of  unhealthi- 
ness  to  man.  Fowls  and  goats  have  been  cut  off  this  year  in 
large  numbers  by  an  epidemic. 

The  visits  of  the  Ujijian  traders  must  be  felt  by  the  Manyuema 
to  be  a  severe  infliction,  for  the  huts  are  appropriated,  and  no 
leave  asked  :  fire-wood,  pots,  baskets,  and  food  are  used  without 
scruple,  and  any  thing  that  pleases  is  taken  away  :  usually  the 
women  flee  into  the  forest,  and  return  to  find  the  whole  place  a 
litter  of  broken  food.  I  tried  to  pay  the  owners  of  the  huts  in 
which  I  slept,  but  often  in  vain,  for  they  hid  in  the  forest  and 
feared  to  come  near.  It  was  common  for  old  men  to  come 
forward  to  me  with  a  present  of  bananas  as  I  passed,  uttering, 
with  trembling  accents,  "Bolongo,  bolongo!"  (Friendship,  friend- 
ship !) ;  and  if  I  stopped  to  make  a  little  return  present,  others 
ran  for  plantains  or  palm-toddy.  The  Arabs'  men  ate  up  what 
they  demanded,  without  one  word  of  thanks,  and  turned  round 
to  me  and  said,  "  They  are  bad ;  don't  give  them  any  thing." 
"Why,  what  badness  is  there  in  giving  food  ?"  I  replied.  "  Oh  ! 
they  like  you,  but  hate  us."  One  man  gave  me  an  iron  ring, 
and  all  seemed  inclined  to  be  fridndly,  yet  they  are  undoubtedly 
blood-thirsty  to  other  Manyuema,  and  kill  each  other. 

I  am  told  that,  journeying  inland,  the  safe  way  to  avoid  tsetse 
in  going  to  Merdrd's  is  to  go  to  Mdonge,  Makinde,  Zungomdro, 
Masapi,  Irundu,  Nyangord,  then  turn  north  to  the  Nyannu- 
gams,  and  thence  to  Nycmbd,  and  so  on  south  to  ^fercre's.  A 
woman  chief  lies  in  the  straight  way  to  Mererr,  but  no  cattle  live 
in  the  land.  Another  insect  lights  on  the  animals,  and  when 
licked  off  bites  the  tongue,  or  breeds,  and  is  fatal  as  well  as 


336 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


tsetse:  it  is  larger  in  size.  Tipo  Tipo  and  Syde  bin  Ali  come  to 
Nyenibe,  thence  to  Nsama's,  cross  Lualaba  at  Mpweto's,  follow 
the  left  bank  of  that  river  till  they  cross  the  next  Lualaba,  and  so 
into  Lunda  of  Matiamvo.  Much  ivory  may  be  obtained  by  this 
course,  and  it  shows  enterprise.  Syde  bin  Habib  and  Dugunibe 
will  open  up  the  Lualaba  this  year,  and  I  am  hoping  to  enter  the 
West  Lualaba,  or  Young's  Kiver,  and,  if  possible,  go  up  to  Ka- 
tanga. The  Lord  be  my  guide  and  helper.  I  feel  the  want  of 
medicine  strongly,  almost  as  much  as  the  want  of  men. 

October  16th. — Moenemgoi,  the  chief,  came  to  tell  me  that  Mo- 
namyembo  had  sent  five  goats  to  Lohombo  to  get  a  charm  to  kill 
him.  "Would  the  English  and  Kolokolo  (Mohamad)  allow  him 
to  be  killed  while  they  w.ere  here?"  I  said  that  it  was  a  false 
report,  but  he  believes  it  firmly.  Monamyembo  sent  his  son  to 
assure  us  that  he  was  slandered,  but  thus  quarrels  and  bloodshed 
feuds  arise ! 

The  great  want  of  the  Manyuema  is  national  life ;  of  this  they 
have  none :  each  head  man  is  independent  of  every  other.  Of 
industry  they  have  no  lack,  and  the  villagers  are  orderly  toward 
each  other,  but  they  go  no  farther.  If  a  man  of  another  district 
ventures  among  them,  it  is  at  his  peril :  he  is  not  regarded  with 
more  favor  as  a  Manyuema  than  one  of  a  herd  of  buifaloes  is  by 
the  rest,  and  he  is  almost  sure  to  be  killed. 

Moendkuss  had  more  wisdom  than  his  countrymen  :  bis  eldest 
son  went  over  to  Monamyembo  (one  of  his  subjects),  and  was 
there  murdered  by  five  spear-wounds.  The  old  chief  went  and 
asked  who  had  slain  his  son.  All  professed  ignorance,  while 
some  suggested  "perhaps  the  Bahombo  did  it;"  so  he  went  ofi"  to 
them,  but  they  also  denied  it,  and  laid  it  at  the  door  of  Monam- 
denda,  from  whom  he  got  the  same  reply  when  he  arrived  at  his 
place:  no  one  knew,  and  so  the  old  man  died.  This,  though 
he  was  heart-broken,  was  called  witchcraft  by  Monamyembo. 
Eleven  people  were  murdered,  and  after  this  cruel  man  was  pun- 
ished he  sent  a  goat,  with  the  confession  that  he  had  killed 
Moen(^kuss's  son.  This  son  had  some  of  the  father's  wisdom: 
the  others  he  never  could  get  to  act  like  men  of  sense. 

October  19th. — Bambarrc.  The  ringlcading  deserters  sent  Chu- 
ma  to  say  that  tliey  were  going  with  the  people  of  Mohamad 
(who  left  to-day)  to  the  Metamba,  but  I  said  that  I  had  naught 
to  say  to  them.  Tliey  would  go  now  to  the  Metamba,  whom,  on 
deserting,  they  said  they  so  much  feared ;  and  they  think  noth- 
ing of  having  left  me  to  go  with  only  three  attendants,  and  get 
my  feet  torn  to  pieces  in  mud  and  sand.    They  probably  meant 


A  BETBOSPECT. 


337 


to  go  back  to  the  women  at  Mamohela,  who  fed  them  in  the  ab- 
sence of  their  husbands.  They  were  told  by  Mohamad  that  they 
must  not  follow  his  people,  and  he  gave  orders  to  bind  them  and 
send  them  back  if  they  did.  They  think  that  no  punishment 
will  reach  them,  whatever  they  do :  they  are  freemen,  and  need 
not  work  or  do  any  thing  but  beg.  "English,"  they  call  them- 
selves, and  the  Arabs  fear  them,  though  the  eagerness  with 
which  they  engaged  in  slave-hunting  showed  them  to  be  genuine 
niggers. 

October  20th. — The  first  heavy  rain  of  this  season  fell  yesterday 
afternoon.  It  is  observable  that  the  permanent  halt  to  which  the 
Manyuema  have  come  is  not  affected  by  the  appearance  of  supe- 
rior men  among  them  :  they  are  stationary,  and  improvement  is 
unknown,  Moenekuss  paid  smiths  to  teach  his  sons,  and  they 
learned  to  work  in  copper  and  iron,  but  he  never  could  get  them 
to  imitate  his  own  generous  and  obliging  deportment  to  others, 
lie  had  to  reprove  them  perpetually  for  mean  short-sightedness, 
and  when  he  died  he  virtually  left  no  successor,  for  his  sons  are 
both  narrow-minded,  mean,  short-sighted  creatures,  without  dig- 
nity or  honor.  All  they  can  say  of  their  forefathers  is  that  they 
came  from  Lualaba  up  Luamo,  then  to  Luelo,  and  thence  here. 
The  name  seems  to  mean  "forest  people" — Manyuema. 

The  party  under  Hassani  crossed  the  Logumba  at  Kanyinger6's 
and  went  north  and  north-north-east.  They  found  the  country 
becoming  more  and  more  mountainous,  till  at  last,  approaching 
Morere,  it  was  perpetually  up  and  down.  They  slept  at  a  village 
on  the  top,  and  could  send  for  water  to  the  bottom  only  once,  it 
took  so  much  time  to  descend  and  ascend.  The  rivers  all  flow- 
ed into  Kerere  or  Lower  Tanganyika.  There  is  a  hot  fountain 
whose  water  could  not  be  touched  nor  stones  stood  upon.  The 
Baldgga  were  very  unfriendly,  and  collected  in  thousands.  "  We 
come  to  buy  ivory,"  said  Hassani,  "and,  if  there  is  none,  we  go 
away."  " Nay," shouted  they,  "you  come  to  die  here!"  and  then 
they  shot  with  arrows;  when  musket- balls  were  returned  they 
fled,  and  would  not  come  to  receive  the  captives. 

Orlohcr  25lh. — Bambarrc.  In  this  journey  I  have  endeavored 
to  follow  with  unswerving  fidelity  the  line  of  duty.  My  course 
has  been  an  even  one,  turning  neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the 
left,  thougli  my  route  has  been  tortuous  enough.  All  the  hard- 
ship, hunger,  and  toil  were  met  with  the  full  conviction  that  I  was 
right  in  persevering  to  make  a  complete  work  of  the  exj)loration 
of  the  sources  of  the  Nile.  Mine  has  been  a  calm,  liopcful  en- 
deavor to  do  the  work  that  has  been  given  me  to  do,  whether  1 


338 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


succeed  or  whether  I  fail.  The  prospect  of  death  in  pursuing 
what  I  knew  to  be  right  did  not  make  me  veer  to  one  side  or  the 
other.  I  had  a  strong  presentiment  during  the  first  three  years 
that  I  should  never  live  through  the  enterprise,  but  it  weakened 
as  I  came  near  to  the  end  of  the  journey ;  and  an  eager  desire  to 
discover  any  evidence  of  the  great  Moses  having  visited  these 
parts  bound  me,  spell-bound  me,  I  may  say ;  for  if  I  could  bring 
to  liglit  any  thing  to  confirm  the  Sacred  Oracles,  I  should  not 
grudge  one  whit  all  the  labor  expended.  I  have  to  go  down  the 
Central  Lualaba,  or  Webb's  Lake  River,  then  up  the  Western,  or 
Young's  Lake  Eiver,  to  Katanga  head-waters,  and  then  retire.  I 
pray  that  it  may  be  to  my  native  home. 

Syde  bin  Habib,  Dugum.be,  Juma  Merikano,  Abdullah  Masen- 
di  are  coming  in  with  seven  hundred  muskets,  and  an  immense 
store  of  beads,  copper,  etc.  They  will  cross  Lualaba,  and  trade 
west  of  it :  I  wait  for  them  because  they  may  have  letters  for  me. 

October  2Sth. — Moenemokata,  who  has  traveled  farther  than 
most  Arabs,  said  to  me,  "If  a  man  goes  with  a  good-natured, 
civil  tongue,  he  may  pass  through  the  worst  people  in  Africa 
unharmed."  This  is  true,  but  time  also  is  required :  one  must 
not  run  through  a  country,  but  give  the  people  time  to  become 
acquainted  with  you,  and  let  their  first  fears  subside. 

October  29ih. — The  Manyuema  buy  their  wives  from  each  oth- 
er ;  a  pretty  girl  brings  ten  goats.  I  saw  one  brought  home  to- 
day :  she  came  jauntily,  with  but  one  attendant,  and  her  husband 
walking  behind.  They  stop  five  days,  then  go  back  and  remain 
other  five  days  at  home;  then  the  husband  fetches  her  again. 
Many  are  pretty,  and  have  perfect  forms  and  limbs. 

October  31st.  —  Monangoi,  of  Luamo,  married  to  the  sister  of 
Moenekuss,  came  some  time  ago  to  beg  that  Kanyingerc  might 
be  attacked  by  Mohamad's  people :  no  fault  has  he,  "  but  he  is 
bad."  Monangoi,  the  chief  here,  offered  two  tusks  to  effect  the 
same  thing ;  on  refusal,  he  sends  the  tusks  to  Katomba,  and  may 
get  his  countryman  spoiled  by  him.  "He  is  bad,"  is  all  they 
can  allege  as  a  reason.  Meantime  this  chief  here  caught  a  slave 
who  escaped,  a  prisoner  from  Moencmokia's,  and  sold  him  or  her 
to  Moenemokia  for  thirty  spears  and  some  knives ;  when  asked 
about  this  captive,  he  said,  "  She  died."  It  was  simply  theft,  but 
he  does  not  consider  himself  bad. 

November  2d,  1870.  —  The  plain  without  trees  that  flanks  the 
Lualaba  on  the  right  bank,  called  Mbuga,  is  densely  peopled,  and 
the  inhabitants  are  all  civil  and  friendly.  From  fifty  to  sixty 
large  canoes  come  over  from  the  left  bank  daily  to  hold  mark- 


JOHANNA  MEN  AND  MAKOLOLO. 


339 


ets.  These  people,  too,  "are  good;"  but  the  dwellers  in  the  Me- 
tamba,  or  dense  forest,  are  treacherous,  and  murder  a  single  per- 
son without  scruple :  the  dead  body  is  easily  concealed,  while  on 
the  plain  all  would  become  aware  of  it. 

I  long  with  intense  desire  to  move  on  and  finish  my  work;  I 
have  also  an  excessive  wish  to  find  any  thing  that  may  exist 
proving  the  visit  of  the  great  Moses  and  the  ancient  kingdom  of 
Tirhaka;  but  I  pray  give  me  just  what  pleases  Thee,  my  Lord, 
and  make  me  submissive  to  Thy  will  in  all  things. 

I  received  information  about  Mr.  Young's  search-trip  up  the 
Shire  and  Nyassa  only  in  February,  1870,  and  now  take  the  first 
opportunity  of  offering  hearty  thanks  in  a  dispatch  to  Her  Majes- 
ty's Government,  and  all  concerned  in  kindly  inquiring  after  my 
fate. 

Musa  and  his  companions  were  fair  average  specimens,  for 
heartlessness  and  falsehood,  of  the  lower  classes  of  Mohammedans 
in  East  Africa,  When  we  were  on  the  Shire  we  used  to  swing 
the  ship  into  mid-stream  every  night,  in  order  to  let  the  air 
which  was  put  in  motion  by  the  water  pass  from  end  to  end. 
Musa's  brother-in-law  stepped  into  the  water  one  morning,  in  or- 
der to  swim  off  for  a  boat,  and  was  seized  by  a  crocodile :  the 
poor  fellow  held  up  his  hand  imploringly,  but  Musa  and  the  rest 
allowed  him  to  perish.  On  my  denouncing  his  heartlessness, 
Musa  replied,  "  Well,  no  one  tell  him  go  in  there."  When  at 
Senna,  a  slave-woman  was  seized  by  a  crocodile:  four  Makololo 
rushed  in  unbidden,  and  rescued  her,  though  they  knew  nothing 
about  her.  From  long  intercourse  with  both  Johanna  men  and 
Makololo,  I  take  these  incidents  as  ty[)ical  of  the  two  races. 
Those  of  mixed  blood  possess  the  vices  of  both  races,  and  the  vir- 
tues of  neither. 

A  gentleman  of  superior  abilities*  has  devoted  life  and  fortune 
to  elevate  the  Johanna  men,  but  fears  that  they  are  "an  unim- 
provable race." 

The  Sultan  of  Zanzibar,  who  knows  his  people  better  than  any 
stranger,  can  not  intrust  any  branch  of  his  revenue  to  even  the 
better  class  of  his  subjects,  but  places  all  his  customs,  income,  and 
money  affairs  in  the  hands  of  Iranians  from  India,  and  his  father 
did  Ijefore  liim. 

When  the  Mohammedan  gentlemen  of  Zanzibar  are  asked 
"why  their  sovereign  places  all  his  pecuniary  affairs  and  fortune 
in  the  hands  of  aliens?"  they  frankly  avow  that  if  he  allowed 


*  Mr.  Jolin  Smiley,  of  I'oinoMC,  .Jolianiiii,  an  i.'-liiml  in  tliu  t^omoro  group. 


340 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUBNALS. 


any  Arab  to  farm  his  customs,  he  would  receive  nothing  but  a 
crop  of  lies. 

Burton  had  to  dismiss  most  of  his  people  at  Ujiji  for  dishon- 
esty;  Speke's  followers  deserted. at  the  first  approach  of  danger; 
Musa  fled  in  terror  on  hearing  a  false  report  from  a  half-caste 
Arab  about  the  Mazitu,  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  distant, 
though  I  promised  to  go  due  west,  and  not  turn  to  the  north  till 
far  past  the  beat  of  that  tribe.  The  few  lib3rated  slaves  with 
whom  I  went  on  had  the  misfortune  to  be  Mohammedan  slaves 
in  boyhood,  but  did  fairly  till  we  came  into  close  contact  with 
Moslems  again.  A  black  Arab  was  released  from  a  twelve  j^ears' 
bondage  by  Casembe,  through  my  own  influence  and  that  of  the 
Sultan's  letter:  we  traveled  together  for  a  time,  and  he  sold  the 
favors  of  his  female  slaves  to  my  people  for  goods  which  he  per- 
fectly well  knew  were  stolen  from  me.  He  received  my  four  de- 
serters, and  when  I  had  gone  off  to  Lake  Bangweolo  with  only 
four  attendants,  the  rest  wished  to  follow,  but  he  dissuaded  them 
by  saying  that  I  had  gone  into  a  country  where  there  was  war. 
He  was  the  direct  cause  of  all  m}''  difficulties  with  these  liberated 
slaves,  but,  judged  by  the  East  African  Moslem  standard,  as  lie 
ouglit  to  be,  and  not  by  ours,  he  is  a  very  good  man,  and  I  did 
not  think  it  prudent  to  come  to  a  rupture  with  the  old  black- 
aruard. 

"Laba"  means,  in  the  Manyuema  dialect,  "medicine;"  a  charm, 
"boganga:"  this  would  make  Lualaba  mean  the  river  of  medi- 
cine, or  charms.  Hassani  thought  that  it  meant  "great,"  because 
it  seemed  to  mean  flowing  greatly  or  grandly. 

Casembe  caught  all  the  slaves  that  escaped  from  Mohamad, 
and  placed  them  in  charge  of  Fungafunga,  so  there  is  little  hope 
for  fuo;itive  slaves  so  long  as  Casembe  lives.  This  act  is  to  the 
Arabs  very  good:  he  is  very  sensible,  and  upright  besides. 

November  3(i.  —  Got  a  Kondohondo,  the  large  double-billed 
hornbill  (the  Buceros  crisiata),  Kakomira  of  the  Shire,  and  the 
Sassassa  of  Bambarrc.  It  is  good  eating,  and  has  fat  of  an  or- 
ange tinge,  like  that  of  the  zebra.  I  keep  the  bill  to  make  a 
spoon  of  it. 

An  ambassador  at  Stamboul  or  Constantinople  was  shown  a 
hornbill  spoon,  and  asked  if  it  were  really  the  bill  of  the  phenix. 
He  replied  that  he  did  not  know,  but  he  had  a  friend  in  London 
who  knew  all  these  sort  of  things;  so  the  Turkish  ambassatlor 
in  London  brought  the  spoon  to  Professor  Owen.  He  observed 
something  in  the  divergences  of  the  fibres  of  the  liorn  which  he 
knew  before,  and  went  off  into  the  Museum  of  the  College  ol 


THE  GREAT  CHIEF  MEB15r£. 


341 


Surgeons,  and  brought  a  preserved  specimen  of  this  very  bird. 
''God  is  great — God  is  great,"  said  the  Turk;  "this  is  the  phenix 
of  which  we  have  heard  so  often."  I  heard  the  professor  tell  this 
at  a  dinner  of  the  London  Hunterian  Society  in  1857. 

There  is  no  great  chief  in  Manyuema  or  Balegga ;  all  are  pet- 
ty head  men,  each  of  whom  considers  himself  a  chief:  it  is  the 
ethnic  state,  with  no  cohesion  between  the  different  portions  of 
the  tribe.  Murder  can  not  be  punished  except  by  a  war,  in 
which  many  fall,  and  the. feud  is  made  worse,  and  transmitted  to 
their  descendants. 

The  heathen  philosophers  were  content  with  mere  guesses  at 
the  future  of  the  soul.  The  elder  prophets  were  content  with 
the  Divine  support  in  life  and  in  death.  The  later  prophets  ad- 
vance farther,  as  Isaiah :  "  Thy  dead  men  shall  live,  together 
with  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise.  Awake  and  sing,  ye  that 
dwell  in  the  dust:  for  thy  dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs.  The  earth 
also  shall  cast  out  her  dead."  This,  taken  with  the  sublime  spec- 
tacle of  Hades  in  the  fourteenth  chapter,  seems  a  forecast  of  the 
future ;  but  Jesus  instructed  Mary  and  her  sister  and  Lazarus ; 
and  Martlia,  without  hesitation,  spoke  of  the  resurrection  at  the 
last  day  as  a  familiar  doctrine,  far  in  advance  of  the  Mosaic  law 
in  which  she  had  been  reared. 

The  Arabs  tell  me  that  ]\Ionyungo,  a  chief,  was  sent  for  five 
years  among  the  Watuta  to  learn  their  language  and  ways,  and 
he  sent  his  two  sons  and  a  daughter  to  Zanzibar  to  school.  He 
kills  many  of  his  people,  and  says  they  are  so  bad  that,  if  not 
killed,  they  would  murder  strangers.  Once  they  were  unruly, 
when  he  ordered  some  of  them  to  give  their  huts  to  Mohamad ; 
on  refusing,  he  put  fire  to  them,  and  they  soon  called  out,  "Let 
them  alone;  we  will  retire."  He  dresses  like  an  Arab,  and  has 
ten  loaded  guns  at  his  sitting-place,  four  pistols,  two  swords,  sev- 
eral spears,  and  two  bundles  of  the  Batuta  spears  :  he  laments 
that  his  father  filed  his  teeth  when  he  was  young.  The  name 
of  his  very  numerous  people  is  Bawungu,  country  Urungu :  his 
Other  names  are  Ironga,  Mohamu. 

Tlie  Basango,  on  the  other  hand,  consider  their  chief  as  a  deity, 
and  fear  to  say  auglit  wrong,  lest  he  should  hear  them :  they  fear 
botli  before  him  and  when  out  of  sight. 

The  father  of  Mer(^rd  never  drardv  pombe,  or  beer,  and  assigned 
as  a  reason  that  a  great  man  who  liad  charg(>  of  ])e(>ph;'s  lives 
should  never  become  intoxicated  so  as  to  do  (.■vil.  Bango  ho 
never  smoked,  but  in  council  smcllcd  at  a  buucii  of  it,  in  order 
to  make  his  people  believe  that  it  had  a  great  elTeet  on  him. 


342 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Mer^re  drinks  pombe  freely,  but  never  uses  bange :  he  alone 
kills  sheep :  he  is  a  lover  of  mutton  and  beef,  but  neither  goats 
nor  fowls  are  touched  by  him. 

Kovemher  9th. — I  sent  to  Lohombo  for  dura,  and  planted  some 
nyumbo.  I  long  excessively  to  be  away  and  finish  my  work  by 
the  two  lacustrine  rivers,  Lualaba  of  Webb  and  Young,  but  wait 
only  for  Syde  and  Dugumbe,  who  may  have  letters ;  and  as  I  do 
not  intend  to  return  hither,  but  go  through  Karagu'e  homeward, 
I  should  miss  them  altogether.  I  groaji,  and  am  in  bitterness  at 
the  delay,  but  thus  it  is :  I  pray  for  help  to  do  what  is  right,  but 
sorely  am  I  perplexed,  and  grieve  and  mourn  :  I  can  not  give  up 
making  a  complete  work  of  the  exploration. 

November  10th. — A  party  of  Katomba's  men  arrived  on  their 
way  to  Ujiji  for  carriers :  they  report  that  a  foray  was  made 
south-west  of  Mamohela  to  recover  four  guns,  which  were  cap- 
tured from  Katomba ;  three  were  recovered,  and  ten  of  the  Arab 
party  slain.  The  people  of  Manyuema  fought  very  fiercely  with 
arrows ;  and  not  till  many  were  killed  and  others  mutilated 
would  they  give  up  the  guns :  they  probably  expected  this 
foray,  and  intended  to  fight  till  the  last.  They  had  not  gone  in 
search  of  ivory  while  this  was  enacting;  consequently  Moha- 
mad's men  have  got  the  start  of  them  completel}'^  by  going  along 
Lualaba  to  Kasongo's,  and  then  along  the  western  verge  of  the 
Metamba,  or  forest,  to  Loinde  or  Eindi  River.  The  last  men 
sent  took  to  fighting  instead  of  trading,  and  returned  empty  :  the 
experience  gained  thus,  and  at  the  south-west,  will  probably  lead 
them  to  conclude  that  the  Manyuema  are  not  to  be  shot  down 
without  reasonable  cause.  They  have  sown  rice  and  maize  at 
Mamohela,  but  can  not  trade  now  where  they  got  so  much  ivory 
before.  Five  men  were  killed  at  Rindi  or  Loindd,  and  one  es- 
caped. The  reason  of  this  outbreak  by  men  who  have  been  so 
peaceable  is  not  divulged ;  but  any  one  seeing  the  wholesale 
plunder  to  which  the  houses  and  gardens  were  subject  can  easily 
guess  the  rest.  Mamohela's  camp  had  several  times  been  set  on 
fire  by  night  by  the  tribes  which  sufi'ered  assault,  but  did  not  ef- 
fect all  that  was  intended.  The  Arabs  say  that  the  Manyuema 
now  understand  that  every  gun-shot  does  not  kill:  the  next 
thing  they  will  learn  will  be  to  grapple  in  close  quarters  in  the 
forest,  where  their  spears  will  outmatch  tlie  guns  in  the  hands  of 
slaves;  it  will  follow,  too,  that  no  one  will  be  able  to  pass  through 
this  country.  This  is  the  usual  course  of  Suaheli  trading;  it  is 
murder  and  plunder;  and  each  slave,  as  he  rises  in  his  owner's 
favor,  is  eager  to  show  himself  a  mighty  man  of  valor  by  cold- 


OPPRESSORS  AND  OPPRESSED. 


343 


blooded  killing  of  his  countrymen :  if  they  can  kill  a  fellow- 
nigger,  their  pride  boils  up.  The  conscience  is  not  enlightened 
enough  to  cause  uneasiness,  and  Islam  gives  less  than  the  light 
of  nature. 

I  am  grievously  tired  of  living  here.  Mohamad  is  as  kind  as 
he  can  be,  but  to  sit  idle,  or  give  up  before  I  finish  my  work,  are 
both  intolerable.  I  can  not  bear  either,  yet  I  am  forced  to  re- 
main, by  want  of  people. 

November  11th. — I  wrote  to  Mohamad  bin  Saleh  at  Ujiji  for 
letters  and  medicines  to  be  sent  in  a  box  of  China  tea,  which  is 
balf  empty :  if  he  can  not  get  carriers  for  the  long  box  itself,  then 
he  is  to  send  these,  the  articles  of  which  I  stand  in  greatest  need. 

The  relatives  of  a  boy  captured  at  Monanyembe  brought  three 
goats  to  redeem  him  :  he  is  sick  and  emaciated :  one  goat  was  re- 
jected. The  boy  shed  tears  when  he  saw  bis  grandmother,  and 
the  father  too,  when  his  goat  was  rejected.  "So  I  returned,  and 
considered  all  the  oppressions  that  are  done  under  the  sun  :  and 
behold  the  tears  of  such  as  were  oppressed,  and  they  had  no  com- 
forter; and  on  the  side  of  their  oppressors  there  was  power;  but 
they  had  no  comforter." — Eccles.  iv.,  1.  The  relations  were  told 
either  to  bring  the  goat,  or  let  the  boy  die ;  this  was  hard-hearted. 
At  Mamohela  ten  goats  are  demanded  for  a  captive,  and  given 
too ;  here  three  are  demanded.  "  He  that  is  higher  than  the  high- 
est regardeth,  and  there  be  higher  than  they.  ^larvel  not  at  the 
matter." 

I  did  not  write  to  the  coast,  for  I  suspect  that  the  Lewale  Syde 
bin  Salem  Buraschid  destroys  my  letters  in  order  to  quash  the 
affair  of  robbery  by  his  man  Saloom :  he  kept  the  other  thief, 
Kamaels,  by  him  for  the  same  purpose.  Mohamad  writes  to  Bin 
Salch  to  say  that  I  am  here,  and  well ;  that  I  sent  a  large  packet 
of  letters  in  June,  1869,  with  money,  and  received  neither  an  an- 
swer nor  my  box  from  Unyanyembc,  and  this  is  to  be  communi- 
cated to  the  consul  by  a  friend  at  Zanzibar.  If  I  wrote,  it  would 
only  be  to  be  burned  ;  this  is  as  far  as  I  can  see  at  present.  The 
friend  who  will  communicate  with  the  consul  is  Mohamad  bin 
Abdullah,  the  wazeer ;  Seyd  Suleiman  is  the  lewale  of  the  Gov- 
'■rnor  of  Zanzibar;  Suleiman  bin  Ali,  or  Sheik  Suleiman,  the 
secretary. 

The  Mamohela  horde  is  becoming  terrified ;  for  every  party 
going  to  trade'  has  lost  three  or  four  men ;  and  in  the  last  foray 
they  saw  that  the  Afanyuema  can  fight,  for  they  killed  ten  men. 
Tbey  will  soon  refuse  to  go  aniong  those  whom  they  have  forced 
to  become  enemies. 


344 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


One  of  the  Bazula  invited  a  man  to  go  with  bim  to  buy  ivory: 
he  went  with  him,  and  on  getting  into  the  Zulas  country  the 
stranger  was  asked  by  the  guide  if  his  gun  killed  men,  and  how 
it  did  it:  while  he  was  explaining  the  matter  he  was  stabbed  to 
death.  No  one  knows  the  reason  of  this,  but  the  man  probably 
lost  some  of  his  relations  elsewhere :  this  is  called  murder  with- 
out cause.  When  Syde  and  Dugumbd  come,  I  hope  to  get  men 
and  a  canoe,  to  finish  my  work  among  those  who  have  not  been 
abused  by  Ujijians,  and  still  retain  their  natural  kindness  of  dis- 
position. None  of  the  people  are  ferocious  without  cause ;  and 
the  sore  experience  which  they  gain  from  slaves  with  guns  in 
their  hands  usually  ends  in  sullen  hatred  of  ail  strangers. 

The  education  of  the  world  is  a  terrible  one,  and  it  has  come 
down  with  relentless  rigor  on  Africa  from  the  most  remote  times. 
What  the  African  will  become  after  this  awfully  hard  lesson  is 
learned,  is  among  the  future  developments  of  Providence.  When 
He  who  is  higher  than  the  highest  accomplishes  Ilis  purposes, 
this  will  be  a  wonderful  country,  and  again  something  like  what 
it  was  of  old,  when  Zerah  and  Tirhaka  flourished  and  were  great. 

The  soil  of  Manyuema  is  clayey,  and  remarkably  fertile;  the 
maize  sown  in  it  rushes  up  to  seed,  and  every  thing  is  in  rank 
profusion  if  only  it  be  kept  clear  of  weeds;  but  the  Bambarro. 
people  are  indifferent  cultivators,  planting  maize,  bananas  and 
plantains,  and  ground-nuts  only  —  no  dura,  a  little  cassava,  no 
pennisetum,  meleza,  pumpkins,  melons,  or  nyumbo,  though  they 
all  flourish  in  other  districts.  A  few  sweet-potatoes  appear,  but 
elsewhere  all  these  native  grains  and  roots  are  abundant  and 
cheap.  No  one  would  choose  this  as  a  residence,  except  for  the 
sake  of  Moenekuss.  Oil  is  very  dear;  while  at  Lualaba  a  gallon 
may  be  got  for  a  single  string  of  beads,  and  beans,  ground-nuts, 
cassava,  maize,  plantains  in  rank  profusion.  The  Balegga,  like 
the  Bambarre  people,  trust  chiefly  to  plantains  and  ground-nuts: 
to  play  with  parrots  is  their  great  amusement. 

November  13///. — The  men  sent  over  to  Lohombo,  about  thirty 
miles  off,  got  two  and  a  half  loaves  of  dura  for  a  small  goat,  but 
the  people  were  unwilling  to  trade.  "  If  we  encourage  Arabs  to 
trade,  they  will  come  and  kill  us  with  their  guns,"  so  the}'  said, 
and  it  is  true ;  the  slaves  arc  overbearing,  and  when  this  is  re- 
sented, then  slaughter  ensues.  I  got  some  sweet  ])lantains  and 
a  little  oil,  which  is  useful  in  cooking,  and,  with  salt,  passes  for 
butter  on  bread;  but  all  were  unwilling  to  trade.  Monangoi  was 
over  near  Lohombo,  and  lieard  of  a  large  trading-party  coming, 
and  not  far  off :  this  may  be  Syde  and  Dugumbe,  but  reports  arc 


THE  NTULUNGOP£  PLANT. 


345 


often  false.  When  Katomba's  men  were  on  the  late  foray,  they 
were  completely  overpowered,  and  compelled  by  the  Manyuema 
to  lay  down  their  guns  and  powder-horns,  on  pain  of  being  in- 
stantly dispatched  by  bowshot ;  they  were  mostly  slaves,  who 
could  only  draw  the  trigger  and  make  a  noise.  Katomba  had  to 
rouse  out  all  the  Arabs  who  could  shoot,  and  when  they  came 
they  killed  many,  and  gained  the  lost  day :  the  Manyuema  did 
not  kill  any  one  who  laid  down  bis  gun  and  powder-horn.  This 
is  the  beginning  of  an  end  which  was  easily  perceived  when  it 
became  not  a  trading,  but  a  foray  of  a  murdering  horde  of  sav- 
ages. 

The  foray  above  mentioned  was  undertaken  by  Katomba  for 
twenty  goats  from  Kassessa — ten  men  lost  for  twenty  goats!  but 
they  will  think  twice  before  they  try  another  foray. 

A  small  bird  follows  the  "sassassa,"  or  Buceros  cristata.  It 
screams  and  pecks  at  his  tail  till  he  discharges  the  contents  of  his 
bowels,  and  then  leaves  him:  it  is  called  "play"  by  the  natives, 
and  by  the  Suahcli  "utane"  or  "msaha" — fun  or  wit:  he  fol- 
lows other  birds  in  the  same  merciless  way,  screaming  and  peck- 
ing to  produce  purging.  Manyuema  call  this  bird  "mambamb- 
wa."  The  buffalo-bird  warns  its  big  friend  of  danger  by  calling 
"  Chachacha,"  and  the  rhinoceros -bird  cries  out,  "  Tye,  tye,  tye, 
tye,"  for  the  same  purpose.  The  Manyuema  call  the  buffalo-bird 
"mojela,"and  the  Suaheli  "chassa."  A  climbing  plant  in  Afri- 
ca is  known  as  "  ntulungopd,"  which,  mixed  with  flour  of  dura, 
kills  mice ;  they  swarm  in  our  camp,  and  destroy  every  thing, 
but  ntulungopc  is  not  near  this. 

The  Arabs  tell  me  that  one  dollar  a  day  is  ample  for  provisions 
for  a  large  family  at  Zanzibar :  the  food  consists  of  wheat,  rice, 
flesh  of  goats  or  ox,  fowls,  bananas,  milk,  butter,  sugar,  eggs, 
mangoes,  and  potatoes.  Ambergris  is  boiled  in  milk  and  sugar, 
and  used  by  the  Hindoos  as  a  means  of  increasing  blood  in  their 
systems;  a  small  quantity  is  a  dose:  it  is  found  along  the  shore 
of  the  sea  at  Barawa  or  Brava,  and  at  Madagascar,  as  if  the  sperm- 
whale  got  rid  of  it  while  alive.  Lamoo  or  Amu  is  wealthy,  and 
well  sujiplied  with  every  thing,  as  grapes,  peaches,  wheat,  cattle, 
camels,  etc.  The  trade  is  chiefly  with  ^Madagascar :  the  hou.ses 
arc  richly  furnished  with  furniture,  dishes  from  India,  etc.  At 
Garaganza  there  arc  hundreds  of  Arab  traders;  there,  too,  all 
fruits  abound,  and  the  climate  i.s  healthy,  from  its  elevation. 
Why  can  not  we  missionaries  imitate  these  Arabs  in  living  on 
heights? 

Kovemher  24/^. — Herpes  is  common  at  tlie  plantations  in  Zanzi- 


:546 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


bar,  but  the  close  crowding  of  the  bouses  in  the  town  the}'  think 
prevents  it ;  the  lips  and  mouth  are  affected,  and  constipation 
sets  in  for  three  days  :  all  this  is  cured  by  going  over  to  the  main- 
land. Affections  of  the  lungs  are  healed  by  residence  at  Bariwa 
or  Brava,  and  also  on  the  main-land.  The  Tafori  of  Halfoni  took 
my  letters  from  Ujiji,  but  who  the  person  emjjloyed  is  I  do  not 
know. 

November  29tJi. — Safura  is  the  name  of  the  disease  of  clay  or 
earth  eating  at  Zanzibar ;  it  often  affects  slaves,  and  the  clay  is 
said  to  have  a  pleasant  odor  to  the  eaters ;  but  it  is  not  confined 
to  slaves,  nor  do  slaves  eat  in  order  to  kill  themselves ;  it  is  a  dis- 
eased appetite,  and  rich  men  who  have  plenty  to  eat  are  often 
subject  to  it.  The  feet  swell,  flesh  is  lost,  and  the  face  looks  hag- 
gard ;  the  patient  can  scarcely  walk  for  shortness  of  breath  and 
weakness,  and  he  continues  eating  till  he  dies.  Here  many  slaves 
are  now  diseased  with  safura;  the  clay  built  in  walls  is  preferred, 
and  Manyuema  women,  when  pregnant,  often  eat  it.  The  cure  is 
effected  by  drastic  purges,  composed  as  follows :  old  vinegar  of 
cocoa-trees  is  put  into  a  large  basin,  and  old  slag  red-hot  cast  into 
it;  then  "moneyd,"  asafetida,  half  a  rupee  in  weight,  copperas, 
sulph.  ditto:  a  small  glass  of  this,  fasting  morning  and  evening, 
produces  vomiting  and  purging  of  black  dejections;  this  is  con- 
tinued for  seven  days;  no  meat  is  to  be  eaten,  but  only  old  rice, 
or  dura  and  water  ;  a  fowl  in  course  of  time  :  no  fish,  butter,  eggs, 
or  beef  for  two  years,  on  pain  of  death.  Mohamad's  father  had 
skill  in  the  cure,  and  the  above  is  his  prescription.  Safura  is  thus 
a  disease  per  se;  it  is  common  in  Manyuema,  and  makes  me  in  a 
measure  content  to  wait  for  my  medicines:  from  the  description, 
inspissated  bile  seems  to  be  the  agent  of  blocking  up  the  gall- 
duct  and  duodenum,  and  the  clay  or  earth  may  be  nature  trying 
to  clear  it  away  :  the  clay  appears  unchanged  in  the  stools,  and  in 
large  quantity.  A  Banyamwczi  carrier,  who  bore  an  enormous 
load  of  copper,  is  now  by  safura  scarcely  able  to  walk;  he  took 
it  at  Lualaba,  where  food  is  abundant,  and  he  is  contented  with 
his  lot.  Squeeze  a  finger-nail,  and  if  no  blood  appears  beneath 
it,  safura  is  the  cause  of  the  bloodlessness. 


DEGRADED  STATE  OF  TEE  MANYUEMA. 


347 


CHAPTER  XYIL 

Degraded  State  of  the  Alanyuema. — Want  of  "Writing  Mateiials. — Lion's  Fat  a  Spe- 
cific against  Tsetse. — Tlie  Neggeri. — Jottings  about  Meie're. — Viuions  Sizes  of 
Tiisks. — An  Epidemic. — Tlie  strangest  Disease  of  all! — The  New  Year. — Deten- 
tion at  Bambarre'. — (ioitre. — News  of  the  Cholera. — Arrival  of  Coast  Caravan. — 
The  Parrot's-feather  Challenge. — Murder  of  James. — Men  arrive  as  Servants. — 
They  refuse  to  go  Xorth. — Parts  at  last  with  Malcontents. — Receives  Letters  from 
Dr.  Kirk  and  the  Sultan. — Doubts  as  to  the  Congo  or  Nile. — Katomba  presents  a 
young  Soke. — Forest  Scenery. — Discrimination  of  the  Manyuema. — They  "want 
to  eat  a  white  one." — Horrible  Bloodshed  by  Ujiji  Traders. — Heart-sore,  and  sick 
of  Blood. — Approaches  Nyafigwe. — Keaches  the  Lualaba. 

December  6th,  1870.— Oh  for  Dugumbc  or  Sjde  to  come !  but 
this  delay  may  be  all  for  the  best.  The  parrots  all  seize  their 
food  and  hold  it  with  the  left  hand  ;  the  lion,  too,  is  left-handed ; 
he  strikes  with  the  left;  so  are  all  animals  left-handed  save  man. 

I  noticed  a  very  pretty  woman  come  past  this  quite  jauntily 
about  a  month  ago,  on  marriage  with  Monasimba.  Ten  goats 
were  given :  her  friends  came  and  asked  another  goat,  which 
being  refused,  she  was  enticed  away,  became  sick  of  rheumatic 
fever  two  days  afterward,  and  died  yesterday.  Not  a  syllable  of 
regret  for  the  beautiful  young  creature  does  one  hear ;  but  for  the 
goats — "Oh,  our  ten  goats!" — they  can  not  grieve  too  much — 

Our  ten  goats — oh !  oh  !" 

Basanga  wail  over  those  who  die  in  bed,  but  not  over  those 
who  die  in  battle:  the  cattle  are  a  salve  for  all  sores. 

Another  man  was  killed  within  half  a  mile  of  this:  they  quar- 
reled, and  there  is  virtually  no  chief.  The  man  was  stabbed,  the 
village  burned,  and  the  people  all  fled :  they  are  truly  a  bloody 
people ! 

A  man  died  near  this :  Monasimba  went  to  his  wife,  and  after 
washing  he  may  appear  among  men.  If  no  widow  can  be  ob- 
tained, he  must  sit  naked  behind  his  house  till  some  one  happens 
to  die:  all  the  clolhcs  he  wore  arc  thrown  away.  They  are  the 
lowest  of  the  low,  and  especially  in  bloodiness.  The  man  who 
killed  a  woman  without  cau.se  goes  free:  he  offered  his  grand- 
mother to  be  killed  in  his  stead,  and  after  a  great  deal  of  talk 
nothing  was  done  to  him  ! 

December  — Suleiman  bin  Juma  lived  on  the  main-land; 
Mosessam(J  opposite  Zanzibar.    It  is  impossible  to  deny  his  pow- 


348 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


er  of  foresight,  except  by  rejecting  all  evidence,  for  he  frequently 
foretold  the  deaths  of  great  men  among  Arabs,  and  he  was  pre- 
eminently a  good  man,  upright  and  sincere:  "Thirti,"  none  like 
him  now  for  goodness  and  skill.  He  said  that  two  middle-sized 
white  men,  with  straight  noses  and  flowing  hair  down  to  the  gir- 
dle behind,  came  at  times  and  told  him  things  to  come.  lie  died 
twelve  years  ago,  and  left  no  successor :  he  foretold  his  own  de- 
cease three  da.ys  beforehand  by  cholera.  "  Heresi,"  a  ball  of  hair 
rolled  in  the  stomach  of  a  lion,  is  a  grand  charm  to  the  animal 
and  to  Arabs.    Mohamad  has  one. 

December  lOih. — I  am  sorely  let  and  hindered  in  this  Manyue- 
ma.  Eain  every  day,  and  often  at  night.  I  could  not  travel  now, 
even  if  I  had  men,  but  I  could  make  some  progress.  This  is  the 
sorest  delay  I  ever  had.    I  look  above  for  help  and  mercy. 

[The  wearied  man  tried  to  while  away  the  time  by  gaining 
little  scraps  of  information  from  the  Arabs  and  the  natives,  but 
we  can  not  fail  to  see  what  a  serious  stress  was  all  the  time  put 
upon  his  constitution  under  these  circumstances.  The  reader  will 
pardon  the  disjointed  nature  of  his  narrative,  written  as  it  was  un- 
der the  greatest  disadvantage.] 

Lion's  fat  is  regarded  as  a  sure  preventive  of  tsetse  or  bungo. 
This  was  noted  before,  but  I  add  now  that  it  is  smeared  on  the 
ox's  tail,  and  preserves  hundreds  of  the  Banyamwesi  cattle  in 
safety  while  going  to  the  coast;  it  is  also  used  to  keep  pigs  and 
hippopotami  away  from  gardens :  the  smell  is  probably  the  effica- 
cious part  in  "  heresi,"  as  they  call  it. 

December  12th. — It  may  be  all  for  the  best  that  I  am  so  hinder- 
ed, and  compelled  to  inactivity. 

An  advance  to  Lohombo  was  the  farthest  point  of  traders  for 
many  a  day,  for  the  slaves  returning  with  ivory  were  speared 
mercilessly  by  Manyuema,  because  they  did  not  know  guns  could 
kill,  and  their  spears  could.  Katomba  coming  to  Moenekusa  was 
a  great  feat  three  or  four  years  ago;  then  Dugumbe  went  on  to 
Lualaba,  and  fought  his  way,  so  I  may  be  restrained  now  in  mer- 
cy till  men  come. 

The  neggeri,  an  African  animal,  attacks  the  tenderest  parts  of 
man  and  beast,  cuts  them  off,  and  retires  contented :  buffaloes 
are  often  castrated  by  him.  Men  who  know  it  squat  down,  and 
kill  him  with  knife  or  gun.  The  zibu,  or  inbuidc,  flies  at  the  ten- 
don Achilles:  it  is  most  likely  tlie  ratel. 

The  fisi  ca  bahari,  probably  the  seal,  is  abundant  in  the  seas, 
but  the  rate],  or  badger,  probably  furnished  the  skins  for  the 


GOAMBABI  A  PBISONEB. 


349 


Tabernacle :  bees  escape  from  his  urine,  and  he  eats  their  honey 
in  safety;  Hons  and  all  other  animals  fear  his  attacks  of  the  heel. 

The  Babemba  mix  a  handful  (about  twenty-five  to  a  measure) 
of  castor-oil  seeds  with  the  dura  and  meleza  they  grind,  and 
usage  makes  them  like  it;  the  nauseous  taste  is  not  perceptible 
in  porridge:  the  oil  is  needed  where  so  much  farinaceous  or 
starchy  matter  exists,  and  the  bowels  are  regulated  by  the  mix- 
ture :  experience  has  taught  them  the  need  of  a  fatty  ingredient. 

[Dr.  Livingstone  seems  to  have  been  anxious  to  procure  all  the 
information  possible  from  the  Arabs  respecting  the  powerful  chief 
Merere,  who  is  reported  to  live  on  the  borders  of  the  Salt  Water 
Lake,  which  lies  between  Lake  Tanganyika  and  the  East  Coast. 
It  would  seem  as  if  Merere  held  the  most  available  road  for  trav- 
elers passing  to  the  south-west  from  Zanzibar,  and  although  the 
doctor  did  not  go  through  his  country,  he  felt  an  interest,  no 
doubt,  in  ascertaining  as  much  as  he  could  for  the  benefit  of 
others.] 

Goambari  is  a  prisoner  at  Mer^re's,  guarded  by  a  thousand  or 
more  men,  to  prevent  him  intriguing  with  Monyungo,  who  is 
known  as  blood-thirsty.  In  the  third  generation  Charura's  de- 
scendants numbered  sixty  able-bodied  spearmen ;  Garahenga  or 
Kimamur6  killed  many  of  them.  Charura  had  six  white  attend- 
ants with  him,  but  all  died  before  he  did,  and,  on  becoming  chief, 
he  got  all  his  predecessor's  wives.  Merere  is  the  son  of  a  woman 
of  the  royal  stock,  and  of  a  common  man ;  hence  he  is  a  shade 
or  two  darker  than  Charura's  descendants,  who  are  very  light- 
colored,  and  have  straight  noses.  They  shave  the  head,  and 
straight  hair  is  all  cut  off:  they  drink  much  milk,  warm,  from 
the  teats  of  the  cows,  and  think  that  it  is  strengthening  by  its 
heat. 

December  2Bd. — Bambarrc  people  suffer  hunger  now  because 
they  will  not  plant  cassava;  this  trading-party  eats  all  the  maize, 
and  sends  to  a  distance  for  more,  and  the  Manyuema  buy  from 
them  with  malofii,  or  palm-toddy.  Rice  is  all  coming  into  ear, 
I  but  the  Manyuema  planted  none:  maize  is  ripening,  and  mice  are 
a  pest:  A  strong  man  among  the  Manyuema  docs  what  he  pleases, 
and  no  chief  interferes  :  for  instance,  a  man's  wife  for  ten  goats 
was  given  off  to  a  Mend  man,  and  his  child,  now  grown,  is  given 
away  too:  he  comes  to  Mohamad  for  redress!  Two  elephants 
killed  were  very  large,  but  have  only  small  tu.sks:  they  come 
from  the  south  in  the  rains.  All  animals,  as  elephants,  buffa- 
loes, and  zebras,  arc  very  large  in  the  Basango  country;  tusks 
are  full  in  the  hollows,  and  weigh  very  heavy,  and  animals  are 

24 


350 


LiriNGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUBXALS. 


fat,  and  good  in  flesh.  Eleven  goats  are  the  exchange  for  the 
flesh  of  an  elephant. 

[The  following  details  respecting  ivory  can  not  fail  to  be  in- 
teresting here:  they  are  very  kindly  furnished  by  Mr.  F.  D. 
Blyth,  whose  long  experience  enables  him  to  speak  with  authori- 
ty upon  the  subject.  He  says  England  imports  about  five  hun- 
dred and  fifty  tons  of  ivory  annually;  of  this  two  hundred  and 
eighty  tons  pass  away  to  other  countries,  while  the  remainder  is 
used  by  our  manufixcturers,  of  whom  the  Sheffield  cutlers  alone 
require  about  one  hundred  and  seventy  tons.  The  whole  an- 
nual importation  is  derived  from  the  following  countries,  and  in 
the  quantities  given  below,  as  near  as  one  can  approach  to  actual 
figures : 

Bombay  and  Zanzibar  export  ICO  tons. 

Alexandria  and  Malta  180  " 

West  Coast  of  Africa  *  140  " 

Cape  of  Good  Hope   50  " 

Mozambique   20  " 

The  Bombay  merchants  collect  ivory  from  all  the  southern 
countries  of  Asia  and  the  East  Coast  of  Africa,  and  after  select- 
ing that  which  is  most  suited  to  the  wants  of  the  Indian  and 
Chinese  markets,  ship  the  remainder  to  Europe. 

From  Alexandria  and  Malta  we  receive  ivory  collected  from 
Northern  and  Central  Africa,  from  Egypt,  and  the  countries 
through  which  the  Nile  flows. 

Immediately  after  the  Franco-Grerman  war  the  value  of  ivory 
increased  considerably ;  and  when  we  look  at  the  prices  realized 
on  large  Zanzibar  tusks  at  the  public  sales,  we  can  well  under- 
stand the  motive  power  which  drove  the  Arab  ivory  huntens 
farther  and  farther  into  the  country  from  which  the  chief  supply 
was  derived  when  Dr.  Livingstone  met  them. 

In  18()7  tlieir  price  varied  from  £39  to  £42 

"  1868  '•  "  ••  3!)  "  42 

"  1809  "  "  "  41  "  44 

"  1870  "  "  "  41  "  44  i 

"  1871  "  "  •'  41  "  44 

"  1872  '•  "  "  .58  "  61 

"  1873  "  "  "  08  "  72 

"  1874  "  "  "  r>'S  "  58 

Single  tusks  vary  in  weight  from  one  to  one  hundred  and 
sixty-five  pounds:  the  average  of  a  pair  of  tusks  may  be  put 
at  twenty-eight  pounds;  and  therefore  forty-four  thousand  ele- 
phants, large  and  small,  must  be  killed  yearly  to  supply  the  ivo- 
ry which  comes  to  England  alone;  and  when  we  remember  that 
an  enormous  quantity  goes  to  America,  to  India,  and  China,  for 
consumption  there,  and  of  which  we  have  no  account,  some  faint 
notion  may  be  formed  of  the  destruction  that  goes  on  among  the 
herds  of  elephants. 


ELEPHJLyiS'  TUSES. 


351 


Although  naturalists  distinguish  only  two  living  species  of 
elephants,  viz.,  the  African  and  the  Asiatic,  nevertheless  there  is 
a  great  difference  in  the  size,  character,  and  color  of  their  tusks, 
which  may  arise  from  variations  in  climate,  soil,  and  food.  The 
largest  tusks  are  yielded  by  the  African  elephant,  and  find  their 
way  hither  from  the  port  of  Zanzibar:  they  are  noted  for  be- 
ing opaque,  soft  or  "  mellow  "  to  work,  and  free  from  cracks  or 
defects. 

The  tusks  from  India,  Ceylon,  etc.,  are  smaller  in  size,  partly 
of  an  opaque  character,  and  partly  translucent  (or,  as  it  is  tech- 
nically called,  "  bright "),  and  harder  and  more  cracked ;  but  those 
from  Siam  and  the  neighboring  countries  are  very  "bright," 
soft,  and  fine-grained;  they  are  much  sought  after  for  carvings 
and  ornamental  work.  Tusks  from  Mozambique  and  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope  seldom  exceed  seventy  pounds  in  weight  each: 
they  are  similar  in  character  to  the  Zanzibar  kind. 

Tusks  which  come  through  Alexandria  and  Malta  differ  con- 
siderably in  quality:  some  resemble  those  from  Zanzibar,  while 
others  are  white  and  opaque,  harder  to  work,  and  more  cracked 
at  the  points;  and  others,  again,  are  very  translucent  and  hard, 
besides  being  liable  to  crack:  this  latter  description  fetches  a 
much  lower  price  in  the  market. 

From  the  West  Coast  of  Africa  we  get  ivory  which  is  always 
translucent,  with  a  dark  outside  or  coating,  but  partly  hard  and 
partly  soft. 

The  soft  ivory  which  comes  from  Ambriz,  the  Gaboon  River, 
and  the  ports  south  of  the  equator,  is  more  highly  valued  than 
any  other,  and  is  called  "silver  gray  :"  this  sort  retains  its  white- 
ness when  exposed  to  the  air,  and  is  free  from  that  tendency  to 
become  yellowish  in  time  which  characterizes  Asiatic  and  East 
I    African  ivory. 

Hard  tusks,  as  a  rule,  are  proportionately  smaller  in  diameter, 
sharper,  and  less  worn  than  soft  ones,  and  they  come  to  market 
much  more  cracked,  fetching,  in  consequence,  a  lower  price. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  a  few  tons  of  mammoth  ivory  are  re- 
ceived from  time  to  time  from  the  Arctic  regions  and  Siberia; 
and  although  of  unknown  antiquity,  some  tusks  are  equal  in 
every  respect  to  ivory  which  is  obtained  in  the  present  day  from 
elephants  newly  killed;  this,  no  doubt,  is  owing  to  the  preserva- 
tive cfibcts  of  the  ice  in  which  the  animals  have  been  imbedded 
for  many  thousands  of  years.  In  the  year  179i>  the  entire  carcass 
of  a  mammoth  was  taken  from  the  ice,  and  the  skeleton  and  por- 
tions of  the  skin,  still  covered  with  retldish  hair,  are  prescrvetl  in 
the  Museum  of  St.  Petersburg :  it  is  said  that  portions  of  the  flesh 
were  eaten  by  the  men  who  dug  it  out  of  the  ice.] 

Dm'mhrr  2-il/i. — Between  twenty -five  and  thirty  slaves  have 
died  in  the  present  epidemic,  and  many  Manyuema;  two  ycster- 


352 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


day  at  Kandawara.  The  feet  swell,  then  the  hands  and  face,  and 
in  a  day  or  two  they  drop  dead.  It  came  from  the  East,  and  is 
very  fatal,  for  few  escape  who  take  it. 

A  woman  was  accused  of  stealing  maize,  and  the  chief  here 
sent  all  his  people  yesterday,  plundered  all  she  had  in  her  house 
and  garden,  and  brought  her  husband  bound  in  thongs  till  he 
shall  pay  a  goat :  she  is  said  to  be  innocent. 

Monangoi  does  this  by  fear  of  the  traders  here ;  and,  as  the 
people  tell  hira,  as  soon  as  they  are  gone  the  vengeance  he  is 
earning  by  injustice  on  all  sides  will  be  taken.  I  told  the  chief 
that  his  head  would  be  cut  off  as  soon  as  the  traders  leave,  and 
so  it  will  be,  and  Kasessa's  also. 

Three  men  went  from  Katomba  to  Kasonga's  to  buy  viramba, 
and  a  man  was  speared  belonging  to  Kasonga ;  these  three  then 
fired  into  a  mass  of  men  who  collected  ;  one  killed  two,  another 
three,  and  so  on ;  so  now  that  place  is  shut  up  from  traders  ;  and 
all  this  country  will  be  closed  as  soon  as  the  Manyuema  learn 
that  guns  are  limited  in  their  power  of  killing,  and  especially  in 
the  hands  of  slaves,  who  can  not  shoot,  but  only  make  a  noise. 
These  Suaheli  are  the  most  cruel  and  blood-thirsty  missionaries 
in  existence,  and  withal  so  impure  in  talk  and  acts,  spreading 
disease  everywhere.    The  Lord  sees  it. 

December  28th. — Moenembegg,  the  most  intelligent  of  the  two 
sons  of  Moenekuss,  in  power,  told  us  that  a  man  was  killed  and 
eaten  a  few  miles  from  this  yesterday :  hunger  was  the  reason 
assigned.  On  speaking  of  tainted  meat,  he  said  that  the  Man- 
yuema put  meat  in  water  for  two  days  to  make  it  putrid  and 
smell  high.  The  love  of  high  meat  is  the  only  reason  1  know 
for  their  cannibalism ;  but  the  practice  is  now  hidden  on  ac- 
count of  the  disgust  that  the  traders  expressed  against  open  man- 
eating  when  they  first  arrived. 

Lightning  was  very  near  us  last  night.  The  Manyuema  say 
that  when  it  is  so  loud  fishes  of  large  size  foil  with  it — an  opin- 
ion shared  by  the  Arabs ;  but  the  large  fish  is  really  the  Clarias 
capensis'  o?  Smith,  and  it  is  often  seen  migrating  in  single  file 
along  the  wet  grass  for  miles :  it  is  probably  this  that  the  Man- 
yuema thinks  falls  from  the  lightning. 

The  strangest  disease  I  have  seen  in  this  country  seems  really 
to  be  broken-hcartcdness,  and  it  attacks  free  men  who  have  been 
captured  and  made  slaves.  My  attention  was  drawn  to  it  w^hen 
the  elder  brother  of  Sydc  bin  Ilabib  was  killed  in  Rua  by  a  night 
attack,  from  a  spear  being  pilclied  through  his  tent  into  his  side- 
Syde  then  vowed  vengeance  for  the  blood  of  his  brother,  and 


THE  STRANGE  DISEASE. 


353 


assaulted  all  he  could  find,  killing  the  elders,  and  making  the 
young  men  captives.  He  had  secured  a  very  large  number,  and 
they  endured  the  chains  until  they  saw  the  broad  River  Lualaba 
roll  between  them  and  their  free  homes;  they  then  lost  heart. 
Twenty-one  were  unchained,  as  being  now  safe;  however,  all 
ran  away  at  once;  but  eight,  with  many  others  still  in  chains, 
died  in  three  days  after  crossing.  They  ascribed  their  only  pain 
to  the  heart,  and  placed  the  hand  correctly  on  the  spot,  though 
many  think  that  the  organ  stands  high  up  under  the  breast-bone. 
Some  slavers  expressed  surprise  to  me  that  they  should  die,  see- 
ing they  had  plenty  to  eat  and  no  work.  One  fine  boy  of  about 
twelve  years  was  carried,  and  when  about  to  expire  was  kindly 
laid  down  on  the  side  of  the  path,  and  a  hole  dug  to  deposit  the 
body  in.  He,  too,  said  he  had  nothing  the  matter  with  him  ex- 
cept pain  in  his  heart:  as  it  attacks  only  the  free  (who  are  cap- 
tured and  never  slaves),  it  seems  to  be  really  broken  hearts  of 
which  they  die. 

[Livingstone's  servants  give  some  additional  particulars  in  an- 
swer to  questions  put  to  them  about  this  dreadful  history.  The 
sufferings  endured  by  these  unfortunate  captives  while  they  were 
hawked  about  in  different  directions  must  have  been  shocking 
indeed  :  many  died  because  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  carry 
a  burden  on  the  head  while  marching  in  the  heavy  yoke,  or 
"  taming-stick,"  which  weighs  from  thirty  to  forty  pounds  as  a 
rule,  and  tlie  Arabs  knew  that  if  once  the  stick  were  taken  off, 
the  captive  would  escape  on  the  first  opportunity.  Children  for 
a  time  would  keep  up  with  wonderful  endurance ;  but  it  hap- 
pened sometimes  that  the  sound  of  dancing  and  the  merry  tinkle 
of  the  small  drums  would  fall  on  their  ears,  in  passing  near  to 
a  village:  then  the  memory  of  home  and  happy  days  proved 
too  much  for  them;  they  cried  and  sobbed,  the  "broken  heart" 
came  on,  and  they  rapidly  sank. 

The  adults,  as  a  rule,  came  into  the  slave-sticks  from  treachery, 
and  had  never  been  slaves  before.  Very  often  the  Arabs  would 
promise  a  present  of  dried  fish  to  villagers  if  they  would  act  as 
guides  to  some  distant  point;  and  as  soon  as  they  were  far 
enough  away  from  their  friends  they  were  seized, and  pinned  into 
the  yoke,  from  which  there  is  no  escape.  These  poor  fellows 
would  expire  in  the  way  the  doctor  mentions,  talking  to  the  last 
of  their  wives  and  children,  who  would  never  know  what  had 
become  of  them.  On  on(!  occasion  twenty  captives  succeeded  in 
escaping  as  follows:  chained  together  by  the  neck,  and  in  the 
custody  of  an  Arab  armed  with  a  gun,  they  were  .sent  off  to  col- 
lect wood.  At  a  given  signal,  one  of  thinn  called  the  guard  to 
look  at  something  which  he  pretended  he  had  fouml  :  when  he 


354 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Stooped  down,  they  threw  themselves  upon  him  and  overpower- 
ed him,  and  after  he  was  dead  managed  to  break  the  chain  and 
make  off  in  all  directions.] 

Eice  sown  on  the  19th  of  October  was  in  ear  in  seventy  days. 
A  leopard  killed  my  goat,  and  a  gun  set  for  him  went  off  at  10 
P.M.  The  ball  broke  both  hind-legs  and  one  fore-leg,  yet  he  had 
power  to  spring  up  and  bite  a  man  badly  afterward.  He  was  a 
male,  two  feet  four  inches  at  withers,  and  six  feet  eight  inches 
from  tip  of  nose  to  end  of  tail. 

January  Is;,  1871. — O  Father !  help  me  to  finish  this  work  to 
Thy  honor! 

Still  detained  at  Bambarre,  but  a  caravan  of  five  hundred 
muskets  is  reported  from  the  coast:  it  may  bring  me  other  men 
and  goods. 

Eain  daily.  A  woman  was  murdered  withou't  cause  close  by  the 
camp;  the  murderer  said  she  was  a  witch,  and  speared  her:  the 
body  is  exposed  till  the  affair  is  settled,  probably  by  a  fine  of  goats. 

The  Manyuema  are  the  most  bloody,  callous  savages  I  know. 
One  puts  a  scarlet  feather  from  a  parrot's  tail  on  the  ground,  and 
challenges  those  near  to  stick  it  in  the  hair:  he  who  does  so  must 
kill  a  man  or  woman  ! 

Another  custom  is  that  none  dare  wear  the  skin  of  the  musk- 
cat  (ngawa),  unless  he  has  murdered  somebody.  Guns  alone 
prevent  them  from  killing  us  all,  and  for  no  reason  either. 

January  16ih. — Ramadan  ended  last  night,  and  it  is  probable 
my  people  and  others  from  the  coast  will  begin  to  travel  after 
three  days  of  feasting.  It  has  been  so  rainy  I  could  have  done 
little,  though  I  had  had  people. 

January  22d. — A  party  is  reported  to  be  on  the  way  hither. 
This  is  likely  enough,  but  reports  are  so  often  false  that  doubts 
ai'ise.  Mohamad  says  he  will  give  men  when  the  party  of  Ilas- 
sani  comes,  or  when  Dugumbd  arrives. 

January  24:th. — Mohamad  mentioned  this  morning  that  Moene- 
mokaia,  and  Moeneghera,  his  brother,  brought  about  thirty  slaves 
from  Kataiiga  to  Ujiji,  affected  with  swelled  thyroid  glands,  or 
"^o*/:re,"  and  that  drinking  the  water  of  Tanganyika  proved  a 
perfect  cure  to  all  in  a  very  few  days.  Sometimes  the  swelling 
went  down  in  two  days  after  they  began  to  use  the  water,  in 
their  ordinary  way  of  cooking,  washing,  and  drinking:,  possibly 
some  ingredient  of  the  hot  fountain  that  flows  into  it  effects  the 
cure,  for  the  people  on  the  Lofubu,  in  Nsama's  country,  had  the 
swelling.  The  water  in  bays  is  decidedly  brackish,  while  the 
body  of  Tanganyika  is  quite  fresh. 


GEE  AT  MORTALITY  FROM  CHOLERA. 


355 


The  odor  of  putrid  elephant's  meat  in  a  house  kills  parrots : 
the  Manyuema  keep  it  till  quite  rotten,  but  know  its  fatal  effects 
on  their  favorite  birds. 

January  21th. — Safari,  or  caravan,  reported  to  be  near,  and  my 
men  and  goods  at  Ujiji. 

January  28th. — A  safari,  under  Hassani  and  Ebed,  arrived  with 
news  of  great  mortality  by  cholera  {toivny)  at  Zanzibar,  and  my 
"brother,"  whom  I  conjecture  to  be  Dr.  Kirk,  has  fallen.  The 
men  I  wrote  for  have  come  to  Ujiji,  but  did  not  know  my  where- 
abouts :  when  told  by  Katomba's  men,  they  will  come  here,  and 
bring  my  much-longed-for  letters  and  goods.  Seventy  thousand 
victims  in  Zanzibar  alone  from  cholera,  and  it  spread  inland  to  the 
Masoi  and  Ugogo!  Cattle  shivered,  and  fell  dead:  the  fishes  in  the 
sea  died  in  great  numbers:  here  the  fowls  were  first  seized,  and  died, 
but  not  from  cholera,  only  from  its  companion.  Thirty  men  per- 
ished in  our  small  camp,  made  still  smaller  by  all  the  able  men  be- 
ing off  trading  at  the  Metamba,  and  how  many  Manyuema  died  we 
do  not  know.    The  survivors  became  afraid  of  eating  the  dead. 

Formerly  the  cholera  kept  along  the  sea-shore,  now  it  goes  far 
inland,  and  will  spread  all  over  Africa.  This  we  get  from  Mecca 
filth,  for  nothing  was  done  to  prevent  the  place  being  made  a 
perfect  cess-pool  of  animals'  guts  and  ordure  of  men.*  A  piece 
of  skin  bound  round  the  chest  of  a  man,  and  half  of  it  hanging 
down,  prevents  waste  of  strength,  and  he  forgets  and  fattens. 

Ebed's  party  bring  two  hundred  frasilahs  of  all  sorts  of  beads: 
they  will  cross  Lualaba,  and  open  a  new  field  on  the  other,  or 
Young's,  Lualaba:  all  Central  Africa  will  soon  be  known.  The 
evils  inflicted  by  these  Arabs  are  enormous,  but  probably  not 
greater  than  the  people  inflict  on  each  other.  Merdrc^  has  turned 
against  the  Arabs,  and  killed  one;  robbing  several  others  of  all 
they  had,  though  he  has  ivory  sufficient  to  send  down  seven 
thousand  pounds  to  the  coast,  and  receive  loads  of  goods  for  five 
hundred  men  in  retui-n.  lie  looks  as  if  insane,  and  probably  is 
so,  and  will  soon  be  killed.  His  insanity  may  be  the  eifect  of 
pombe,  of  which  he  drinks  largely,  and  his  people  may  have  told 
him  that  the  Arabs  were  plotting  with  Goambari.  lie  restored 
Mohamad's  ivory  and  slaves,  and  sent  for  the  other  traders,  who 
had  fled,  saying  his  people  had  spoken  badly,  and  he  would  re- 
pay all  los.ses. 

*  The  epidemic  here  menlioned  reached  Zim/.ibar  Ishiiid  from  tiic  interior  of  Africii 
liy  way  of  the  Masai  caravan  route  ami  l'an;;aiii.     Dr.  Kirk  says  it  af;aiii  entered 
Vfrica  from  Zan/al)ar,  and  followed  the  conrse  of  the  caravans  to  I'jiji  and  Manyii- 
•ni\. — El). 


356 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


The  Watuta  (who  are  the  same  as  the  Mazitu)  came  stealing 
Banyamwezi  cattle,  and  Mteza's  men  went  out  to  them,  and  twen- 
ty-two were  killed,  but  the  lewale's  people  did  nothing.  The 
governor's  sole  anxiety  is  to  obtain  ivory,  and  no  aid  is  rendered 
to  traders.  Seyd  Suleiman,  the  wazeer,  is  the  author  of  the  do- 
nothing  policy,  and  sent  away  all  the  sepoys  as  too  expensive ; 
consequently  the  Wagogo  plunder  traders  unchecked.  It  is  re- 
ported that  Egyptian  Turks  came  up  and  attacked  Mteza,  but  lost 
many  people,  and  fled.  The  report  of  a  Moslem  mission  to  his 
country  was  a  falsehood,  though  the  details  given  were  circum- 
stantial. Falsehood  is  so  common,  one  can  believe  nothing  the 
Arabs  say,  unless  confirmed  by  other  evidence  :  they  are  the  fol- 
lowers of  the  prince  of  lies,  Mohammed,  whose  cool  appropriation 
of  the  knowledge  gained  at  Damascus,  and  from  the  Jews,  is  per- 
fectly disgusting.  All  his  deeds  were  done  When  unseen  by  any 
witnesses.  It  is  worth  noticing  that  all  admit  the  decadence  of 
the  Moslem  power,  and  they  ask  how  it  is  so  fallen  ?  They  seem 
sincere  in  their  devotion  and  in  teaching  the  Koran,  but  its  mean- 
ing is  comparatively  hid  from  most  of  the  Suaheli.  The  Persian 
Arabs  are  said  to  be  gross  idolaters,  and  awfully  impure.  Earth 
from  a  grave  at  Kurbelow  (?)  is  put  in  the  turban  and  worshiped : 
some  of  the  sects  will  not  say  "Amen." 

Moenyegumbe  never  drank  more  than  a  mouthful  of  pombe. 
When  young,  he  could  make  his  spear  pass  right  through  an  ele- 
phant, and  stick  in  the  ground  on  the  other  side.  He  was  a  large 
man,  and  all  his  members  were  largely  developed ;  his  hands  and 
fingers  were  all  in  proportion  to  his  great  height,  and  he  lived  to 
old  age  with  strength  unimpaired:  Goambari  inherits  his  white 
color  and  sharp  nose,  but  not  his  wisdom  or  courage.  Merer^ 
killed  five  of  his  own  people  for  exciting  him  against  the  Arabs. 
The  half-caste  is  the  murderer  of  many  of  Charura's  descendants. 
Ilis  father  got  a  daughter  of  Moenyegumbe  for  courage  in  fight- 
ing the  Babema  of  Ubena. 

Cold-blooded  murders  are  frightfully  common  here.  Some 
kill  people  in  order  to  be  allowed  to  wear  the  red  tail-feathers  of 
a  parrot  in  their  hair;  and  yet  they  are  not  ugly  like  the  West 
Coast  Negroes,  for  many  men  have  as  finely  formed  heads  as 
could  be  found  in  London.  We  English,  if  naked,  would  make 
but  poor  figures  beside  the  strapping  forms  and  finely  shaped 
limbs  of  Manyucma  men  and  women.  Their  cannibalism  is  doubt- 
ful, but  my  observations  raise  grave  suspicions.  A  Scotch  jury 
would  say,  "Not  proven."    The  women  are  not  guilty. 

February  Ath,  1871. — Ten  of  my  men  from  the  coast  have  come 


A  STRIKE  FOR  HIGHER  WAGES. 


357 


near  to  Bambarre,  and  will  arrive  to-day.  I  am  extremely  thank- 
ful to  bear  it,  for  it  assures  me  that  my  packet  of  letters  was  not 
destroyed.  They  know  at  home  by  this  time  what  has  detained 
me,  and  the  end  to  which  I  strain. 

Only  one  letter  reached,  and  forty  are  missing !  James  was 
killed  to-day  by  an  arrow:  the  assassin  was  hid  in  the  forest  till 
my  men  going  to  buy  food  came  up.*  I  propose  to  leave  on  the 
12th.  I  have  sent  Dr.  Kirk  a  check  for  4000  reals.  Great  hav- 
oc was  made  by  cholera,  and  in  the  midst  of  it  my  friend  ex- 
erted himself  greatly  to  get  men  off  to  me  with  goods ;  the  first 
gang  of  porters  all  died. 

February  8th. — The  ten  men  refusing  to  go  north  are  influenced 
probably  by  Shereef  and  my  two  ringleaders,  who  try  this  means 
to  compel  me  to  take  them. 

February  9th. — The  man  who  contrived  the  murder  of  James 
came  here,  drawn  by  the  pretense  that  he  was  needed  to  lead  a 
party  against  the  villages,  which  he  led  to  commit  the  outrage. 
His  thirst  for  blood  is  awful.  lie  was  bound,  and  word  sent  to 
bring  the  actual  murderers  within  three  days,  or  he  suffers  death. 
He  brought  five  goals,  thinking  that  would  smooth  the  matter  over. 

February  11th. — Men  struck  work  for  higher  wages:  I  consent- 
ed to  give  tliem  six  dollars  a  month  if  they  behaved  well ;  if  ill, 
I  diminish  it;  so  we  hope  to  start  to-morrow.  Another  hunting- 
quelled  by  Mohamad  and  mc. 

The  ten  men  sent  are  all  slaves  of  the  Banians,  who  are  English 
subjects,  and  they  come  with  a  lie  in  their  mouth  :  they  will  not 
help  me,  and  swear  that  the  consul  told  them  not  to  go  forward, 
but  to  force  me  back ;  and  they  spread  the  tale  all  over  the  coun- 
try that  a  certain  letter  has  been  sent  to  me  with  orders  to  re- 
turn forthwith.  They  swore  so  positively,  that  I  actually  looked 
again  at  Dr.  Kirk's  letter  to  see  if  his  orders  had  been  rightly 
understood  by  me.  But  for  Mohamad  Bogharib,  and  fear  of  pis- 
tol-shot, they  would  gain  tlieir  own  and  their  Banian  master's 
end  to  baflle  mc  completely.  They  demand  an  advance  of  one 
dollar,  or  six  dollars  a  month,  though  this  is  double  freeman's 
pay  at  Zanzibar.  Their  two  head  men,  Sliereef  and  Awatlic,  re- 
fused to  come  past  Ujiji,  and  are  reveling  on  my  goods  there. 

February  ISth. — Mabruki,  being  seized  with  choleraic  purging, 
detains  us  to-day.  I  gave  Mohamad  five  pieces  Americano,  five 
ditto  Kanike,f  and  two  frasilahs  sainisami  beads.    He  gives  me 

•  The  men  give  indisputable  proof  that  his  bodv  was  eftten  by  the  Manyucmn  who 

lay  in  iiiiiliiisli. — Ed. 

+  Kaiiikd  is  ii  hhie  calico. 


358 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


a  note  to  Ilassani  for  twenty  thick  copper  bracelets.  Yesterday 
crowds  came  to  eat  the  meat  of  the  man  who  misled  James  to  his 
death-spot;  but  we  want  the  men  who  set  the  Mbanga  men  tio 
shoot  him.  They  were  much  disappointed  when  they  found  that 
no  one  was  killed,  and  are  undoubtedly  cannibals. 

Friday.,  16th.  —  Started  to-day.  Mabruki  making  himself  out 
very  ill,  Mohamad  roused  him  out  by  telling  him  I  traveled  when 
much  worse.  The  chief  gave  me  a  goat,  and  Mohamad  another; 
but  in  coming  through  the  forest  on  the  neck  of  the  mountain 
the  men  lost  three,  and  have  to  go  back  for  them,  and  return  to- 
morrow. Simon  and  Ibram  were  bundled  out  of  the  camp,  and 
impudently  followed  me:  when  they  came  up,  I  told  them  to  be  off. 

February  11th. — Waiting  at  a  village  on  the  western  slope  for 
the  men  to  come  up  with  the  goats,  if  they  have  gone  back  to  the 
camp.  Mohamad  would  not  allow  the  deserters  to  remain  among 
his  people,  nor  would  I.  It  would  only  be  to  imbue  the  minds 
of  my  men  with  their  want  of  respect  for  all  English,  and  total 
disregard  of  honesty  and  honor.  They  came  after  me  with  inim- 
itable effrontery,  believing  that  though  I  said  I  would  not  take 
them,  they  were  so  valuable,  I  was  only  saying  what  I  knew  to  be 
false.  The  goats  were  brought  by  a  Manyuema  man,  who  found 
one  fallen  into  a  pitfall  and  dead :  he  ate  it,  and  brought  one 
of  his  own  in  lieu  of  it.  I  gave  him  ten  strings  of  beads,  and  he 
presented  a  fowl  in  token  of  good-will. 

Fehrnary  18th. — Went  on  to  a  village  on  the  Lulwa,  and  on 
the  19th  reached  Moenemgoi,  who  dissuaded  me  so  earnestlv 
against  going  to  Moenekurumbo  for  the  cause  of  Molembalemba 
that  I  agreed  not  to  venture. 

FrLrnnry  20th. — To  the  ford  with  only  one  canoe  now,  as  two 
men  of  Katomba  were  swept  away  in  the  other  and  drowned. 
They  would  not  sell  the  remaining  canoe,  so  I  go  north-west  on 
foot  to  Moene  Lualaba,  where  fine  large  canoes  are  abundant. 
The  grass  and  mud  are  grievous,  but  my  men  lift  me  over  the 
waters. 

February  21st. — Arrived  at  Monandewa's  village,  situated  on  a 
high  ridge  between  two  deep  and  difficult  gullies.  These  people 
are  obliging  and  kind:  the  chief's  wife  made  a  fire  for  me  in  the 
evening  unbidden. 

February  22d.  —  On  the  north-west  to  a  higli  hill  called  Chi- 
bande  a  Yunde,  with  a  spring  of  white  water  at  the  village  on  the 
top.  Famine  from  some  unknown  cause  here,  but  the  people  are 
cultivating  now  on  the  plain  below  with  a  will. 

February  2Zd. — On  to  two  large  villages  with  many  banana- 


EXPLOEING  AGAIN. 


359 


plants  around ;  but  tlie  men  said  they  were  in  fear  of  the  traders, 
and  shifted  their  villages  to  avoid  them :  we  then  vrent  on  to  the 
village  Kahombogola,  with  a  feeble  old  man  as  chief  The  coun- 
try is  beautiful  and  undulating:  light-green  grass  covers  it  all, 
save  at  the  brooks,  where  the  eye  is  relieved  by  the  dark-green 
lines  of  trees.  Grass  tears  the  hands  and  wets  the  extremities 
constantly.  The  soil  is  formed  of  the  debris  of  granitic  rocks; 
rough  and  stony,  but  everywhere  fertile.  One  can  rarely  get  a 
bare  spot  to  sit  down  and  rest. 

February  24:(h. — To  a  village  near  Lolande  River.  Tlien  across 
the  Loengadye,  sleeping  on  the  bank  of  the  Luha,  and  so  to  Ma- 
mohela,  where  we  were  welcomed  by  all  the  Arabs,  and  I  got  a 
letter  from  Dr.  Kirk,  and  another  from  the  Sultan,  and  from  Mo- 
hamad bin  Nassib,  who  was  going  to  Karagwe :  all  anxious  to 
be  kind.  Katomba  gave  flour,  nuts,  fowls,  and  goat.  A  new 
way  is  opened  to  Kasonga's  much  shorter  than  that  I  followed. 
I  rest  a  few  days,  and  then  go  on. 

February  2oth. — So  we  went  on,  and  found  that  it  was  now 
known  that  the  Lualaba  flowed  west -south -west,  and  that  our 
course  was  to  be  west  across  this  other  great  bend  of  the  mighty 
river.  I  had  to  suspend  my  judgment  so  as  to  be  prepared  to 
find  it,  after  all,  perhaps  the  Congo.  No  one  knew  any  thing 
about  it  except  that  when  at  Kasongo's  nine  days  west  and  by 
south,  it  came  sweeping  round,  and  flowed  north  and  north  and 
by  east. 

Katomba  presented  a  young  soko,  or  gorilla,  that  had  been 
caught  while  its  mother  was  killed  :  she  sits  eighteen  inches  high  ; 
has  fine,  long,  black  hair  all  over,  which  was  pretty  so  long  as  it 
was  kept  in  order  by  her  dam.  She  is  the  least  mischievous  of 
all  the  monkey  tribe  I  have  seen,  and  seems  to  know  that  in  me 
she  has  a  friend,  and  sits  quietly  on  the  mat  beside  me.  In  walk- 
ing, the  first  thing  observed  is  that  she  does  not  tread  on  the 
palms  of  her  hands,  but  on  the  backs  of  the  second  line  of  bones 
of  the  hands:  in  doing  tlii.s,  the  nails  do  not  touch  the  ground, 
nor  do  the  knuckles.  She  uses  the  arms  thus  supported  crutch 
fashion,  and  hitches  herself  along  between  them  :  occasionally 
one  hand  is  put  down  before  the  other,  and  alternates  with  the 
feet,  or  she  walks  upright  and  holds  up  a  hand  to  any  one  to 
carry  her:  if  refused,  she  turns  her  face  down,  and  makes  gri- 
maces of  the  most  bitter  human  weeping,  wringing  her  hands,  and 
sometimes  adding  a  fourth  hand  or  foot  to  make  the  appeal  more 
touching.  Grass  or  leaves  she  draws  around  her  to  make  a  nest, 
and  resents  any  one  meddling  with  her  property.    She  is  a  moat 


360 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUEXALS. 


■friendly  little  beast,  and  came  up  to  me  at  once,  making  her 
chirrup  of  welcome,  smelled  my  clothing,  and  held  out  her  hand 
to  be  shaken.  I  slapped  her  palm  without  offense,  though  she 
winced.  She  began  to  untie  the  cord  with  which  she  was  after- 
ward bound,  with  fingers  and  thumbs,  in  quite  a  systematic  way ; 
and  on  being  interfered  with  by  a  man,  looked  daggers,  and 
screaming,  tried  to  beat  him  with  her  hands:  she  was  afraid  of 
his  stick,  and  faced  him,  putting  her  back  to  me  as  a  friend.  She 
holds  out  her  hand  for  people  to  lift  her  up  and  carry  her  quite 
like  a  spoiled  child ;  then  bursts  into  a  passionate  cry,  somewhat 
like  that  of  a  kite,  wrings  her  hands  quite  naturally,  as  if  in  de- 
spair. She  eats  every  thing,  covers  herself  with  a  mat  to  sleep, 
and  makes  a  nest  of  grass  or  leaves,  and  wipes  her  foce  with  a 
leaf. 

I  presented  my  double-barreled  gun  which'is  at  Ujiji  to  Ka- 
tomba,  as  he  has  been  very  kind  when  away  from  Ujiji :  I  pay 
him  thus  for  all  his  services.  He  gave  me  the  soko,  and  will 
carry  it  to  Ujiji  for  me.  I  have  tried  to  refund  all  that  the 
Arabs  expended  on  me. 

March  1st,  1871. — I  was  to  start  this  morning,  but  the  Arabs 
asked  me  to  take  seven  of  their  people  going  to  buy  biramba. 
As  they  know  the  new  way,  the  offer  was  gladly  accepted. 

March  2d-bth. — Left  Mamohe^a,  and  traveled  over  fine  grassy 
plains,  crossing  in  six  hours  fourteen  running  rills,  from  three  to 
ten  or  fifteen  feet  broad,  and  from  calf  to  thigh  deep.  Tree-cov- 
ered mountains  on  both  sides.  The  natives  know  the  rills  by 
names,  and  readily  tell  their  courses,  and  which  falls  into  which, 
before  all  go  into  the  great  Lualaba ;  but  without  one  as  a  guide, 
no  one  can  put  them  in  a  map.  We  came  to  Monanbunda's  vil- 
lages, and  spent  the  night.  Our  next  stage  was  at  Monangongo's. 
A  small  present  of  a  few  strings  of  beads  satisfies,  but  is  not  ask- 
ed: I  give  it  invariably  as  acknowledgment  for  lodgings.  The 
head  man  of  our  next  stage  hid  himself  in  fear,  as  we  were  near 
to  the  scene  of  Bin  Juma's  unprovoked  slaughter  of  five  men 
for  tusks  that  were  not  stolen,  but  thrown  down.  Our  path  lay 
through  dense  forest,  and  again,  on  the  5th,  our  march  was  in  the 
same  dense  jungle  of  lofty  trees  and  vegetation  that  touch  our 
arms  on  each  side.  We  came  to  some  villages  among  beautiful 
tree -covered  hills,  called  Basilang^  or  Mobasilange.  The  vil- 
lages are  very  pretty,  standing  on  slopes.  The  main  street  gen- 
erally lies  east  and  west,  to  allow  the  bright  sun  to  stream  his 
clear  hot  rays  from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  lick  up  quickly  the 
moisture  from  the  frequent  showers  which  is  not  drained  off  by 


"XO  EXTRAXCE  HERE." 


361 


the  slopes.  A  little  veranda  is  often  made  in  front  of  the  door, 
and  here  at  dawn  the  family  gathers  round  a  fire,  and,  while  en- 
joying the  heat  needed  in  the  cold  that  always  accompanies  the 
first  darting  of  the  light,  or  sun's  rays,  across  the  atmosphere,  in- 
hale the  delicious  air,  and  talk  over  their  little  domestic  affairs. 
The  various  shaped  leaves  of  the  forest  all  around  their  village 
and  near  their  nestlings  are  bespangled  with  myriads  of  dew- 
drops.  The  cocks  crow  vigorously,  and  strut  and  ogle ;  the  kids 
gambol  and  leap  on  the  backs  of  their  dams,  quietly  chewing  the 
cud;  other  goats  make  believe  fighting.  Thrifty  wives  often 
bake  their  new  clay  pots  in  a  fire,  made  by  lighting  a  heap  of 
grass  roots:  the  next  morning  they  extract  salt  from  the  ashes, 
and  so  two  birds  are  killed  with  one  stone.  The  beauty  of  this 
morning  scene  of  peaceful  enjoyment  is  indescribable.  Infancy 
gilds  the  fairy  picture  with  its  own  lines,  and  it  is  probably  nev- 
er forgotten ;  for  the  young,  taken  up  from  slavers,  and  treated 
with  all  philanthropic  missionary  care  and  kindness,  still  revert 
to  the  period  of  infancy  as  the  finest  and  fairest  they  have  known. 
They  would  go  back  to  freedom  and  enjoyment  as  fast  as  would 
our  own  sons  of  the  soil,  and  be  heedless  to  the  charms  of  hard 
work  and  no  play  which  we  think  so  much  better  for  them  if 
not  for  us. 

In  some  cases  we  found  all  the  villages  deserted ;  the  people 
had  fled  at  our  approach,  in  dread  of  repetitions  of  the  outrages 
of  Arab  slaves.  The  doors  were  all  shut:  a  bunch  of  the  leaves 
of  reeds  or  of  green  reeds  placed  across  them  means  "  no  en- 
trance here."  A  few  stray  chickens  wander  about  wailing,  hav- 
ing hid  themselves,  while  the  rest  were  caught  and  carried  oft' 
into  the  deep  forest,  and  the  still  smoking  fires  tell  the  same  tale 
of  recent  flight  from  the  slave-traders. 

Many  have  found  out  that  I  am  not  one  of  their  number,  so 
in  various  cases  they  stand  up  and  call  out  loudly,  "Bolongo, 
bolongol"  (Friendship,  friendship!).  They  sell  their  fine  iron 
bracelets  eagerly  for  a  few  beads  (for  bracelets  seem  out  of  fash- 
ion since  beads  came  in) ;  but  they  are  of  the  finest  quality  of 
iron ;  and  were  they  nearer  Europe  would  be  as  eagerly  sought 
and  bought  as  horseshoe  nails  are  for  the  best  gun-barrels.  I 
overhear  the  Maiiyuema  telling  each  other  that  I  am  the  "good 
one."  I  have  no  slaves,  and  I  owe  this  character  to  the  propa- 
;  gation  of  a  good  name  by  the  slaves  of  Zanzibar,  who  are  any 
thing  but  good  themselves.  I  have  seen  slaves  belonging  to  the 
seven  men  now  with  us  slap  the  cheeks  of  grown  men  wiio  had 
offered  food  for  sale ;  it  was  done  in  sheer  wantonness,  till  I 


362 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


threatened  to  thrash  them  if  I  saw  it  again;  but  out  of  my  siglit 
they  did  it  still,  and  when  I  complained  to  the  masters  they  con- 
fessed that  all  the  mischief  was  done  by  slaves;  for  the  Manyue- 
ma,  on  being  insulted,  lose  temper,  and  use  their  spears  on  the 
nasty  curs,  and  then  vengeance  is  taken  with  guns.  Free  men 
behave  better  than  slaves ;  the  bondmen  are  not  responsible. 
The  Manyuema  are  far  more  beautiful  than  either  the  bond  or 
free  of  Zanzibar :  I  overhear  the  remark  often,  "  If  we  had  Man- 
yuema wives,  what  beautiful  children  we  should  beget."  The 
men  are  usually  handsome,  and  many  of.  the  women  are  very 
pretty ;  hands,  feet,  limbs,  and  forms  perfect  in  shape,  and  the 
color  light-brown,  but  the  orifices  of  the  nose  are  widened  by 
snufF-takevs,  who  ram  it  up  as  far  as  they  can  with  the  finger  and 
thumb :  the  teeth  are  not  filed,  except  a  small  space  between  the 
two  upper  front  teeth. 

March  5ih. — We  heard  to-day  that  Mohamad's  people  passed 
us  on  the  west,  with  much  ivory.  I  lose  thus  twenty  copper 
rings  I  was  to  take  from  them,  and  all  the  notes  they  were  to 
make  for  me  of  the  rivers  they  crossed. 

March  Qth. — Passed  through  very  large  villages,  with  many 
forges  in  active  work.  Some  men  followed  us,  as  if  to  fight,  but 
we  got  them  to  turn  peaceably:  we  do  not  know  who  are  ene- 
mies, so  many  have  been  maltreated  and  had  relatives  killed. 
The  rain  of  yesterday  made  the  paths  so  slippery  that  the  feet  of 
all  were  sorely  fatigued,  and,  on  coming  to  Manyara's,  I  resolved 
to  rest  on  the  7th  near  Mount  Kimazi.  I  gave  a  cloth  and  beads 
in  lieu  of  a  fine  fat  goat  from  the  chief,  a  clever,  good  man. 

March  Qth. — We  marched  about  five  hours  across  a  grassy  plain 
without  trees — buga,  or  prairie.  The  torrid  sun,  nearly  vertical, 
sent  his  fierce  rays  down,  and  fatigued  us  all.  We  crossed  two 
Sokoyd  streams  by  bridges,  and  slept  at  a  village  on  a  ridge  of 
woodland  overlooking  Kasonga.  After  two  hours  this  morning, 
we  came  to  villages  of  this  chief,  and  at  once  were  welcom.ed  by 
the  Safari  of  Salem  Mokadam,  and  I  was  given  a  house.  Kason- 
ga is  a  very  fine  young  man,  with  European  features,  and  "very 
clever  and  good."  He  is  clever,  and  is  pronounced  good,  because 
he  eagerly  joins  the  Arabs  in  marauding!  Seeing  the  advantage 
of  fire-arms,  he  has  bought  four  muskets.  Mohamad's  people 
were  led  by  his,  and  spent  all  their  copper  for  some  fifty  frasi- 
lahs  of  good  ivory.  From  this  party  men  have  been  sent  over 
Lualaba,  and  about  fifty  frasilahs  obtained  :  all  praise  Kasonga. 
We  were  now  only  six  miles  from  Lualaba,  and  yet  south  of 
Mamohela;  this  great  river,  in  fact,  makes  a  second  great  sweep 


LUAPANYA  IS  KILLED. 


363 


to  the  west  of  some  one  hundred  and  thirty  miles,  and  there  are 
I  at  least  30'  of  southing  ;  but  now  it  comes  rolling  majestically  to 
I  the  north,  and  again  makes  even  easting.  It  is  a  mighty  stream, 
with  many  islands  in  it,  and  is  never  wadable  at  any  point  or  at 
any  time  of  the  year. 

March  10th. — Mohamad's  people  are  said  to  have  gone  to  Lua- 
panya,  a  powerful  chief,  who  told  them  they  were  to  buy  all  their 
ivory  from  him  :  he  had  not  enough,  and  they  wanted  to  go  on  to 
a  people  who  have  ivory  door-posts ;  but  he  said,  "  You  shall 
go  neither  forward  noj  backward,  but  remain  here  ;"  and  he  then 
called  an  immense  body  of  archers,  and  said,  "You  must  fight 
these."  The  consequence  was,  they  killed  Luapanya  and  many 
of  his  people,  called  Bahika,  then  crossed  a  very  large  river,  the 
Morombya  or  Morombwe,  and  again  the  Pembo  Kiver,  but  do 
not  seem  to  have  gone  very  far  north.  I  wished  to  go  from  this 
in  canoes,  but  Kasonga  has  none ;  so  I  must  tramp  for  five  or  six 
days  to  Moenc  Lualaba  to  buy  one,  if  I  have  credit  with  Abed. 

March  llih. — I  had  a  long,  fierce  oration  from  Amur,  in  which 
I  was  told  again  and  again  that  I  should  be  killed  and  eaten — 
the  people  wanted  a  "white  one"  to  eat!  I  needed  two  hundred 
guns,  and  "must  not  go  to  die."  I  told  him  that  I  was  thankful 
for  advice,  if  given  by  one  who  had  knowledge,  but  his  vehement 
threats  were  dreams  of  one  who  had  never  gone  anywhere,  but 
sent  his  slaves  to  kill  people :  he  was  only  frightening  my  peo- 
ple, and  doing  me  an  injury.  I  told  him  that  Baker  had  only 
twelve  people,  and  came  near  to  this:  to  this  he  replied,  "Were 
the  people  cannibals?"  etc.,  etc. 

I  left  this  noisy  demagogue,  after  saying  I  tlianked  him  for  his 
warnings,  but  saw  he  knew  not  what  he  was  saying.  The  traders 
from  Ujiji  are  simply  marauders,  and  their  people  worse  than 
themselves:  they  thirst  for  blood  more  than  for  ivory;  each 
longs  to  be  able  to  tell  a  talc  of  blood,  and  the  Manyuema  are 
an  easy  prey.  Ilassani  assaulted  the  pcojjlc  at  Mocne  Lualaba's, 
and  now  they  keep  to  the  other  bank.  I  am  forced  to  bargain 
with  Kasonga  for  a  canoe,  and  he  sends  to  a  friend  for  one  to  be 
sent  on  .  the  13l1i.  This  IIas.sani  declared  to  me  that  he  would 
not  begin  hostilities,  but  he  began  nothing  else.  The  prospect 
of  getting  slaves  overpowers  all  else,  and  blood  flows  in  horrid 
streams.  The  Lord  look  on  it!  Ilassani  will  have  some  tale  to 
tell  Mohamad  Boi^liarib. 

[At  the  outset  of  his  explorations  Livingstone  fancied  that 
'  there  were  degrees  in  the  sufferings  of  slaves,  and  that  the  hor- 
rors perpetrated  by  the  Portuguese  of  Tctte  were  unknown  in  the 

25 


^1 


3G4 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


system  of  slave-hunting  which  the  Arabs  pursue:  we  now  see 
that  a  further  acquaintance  with  the  sLave-trade  of  the  interior 
has  restored  the  balance  of  infamy,  and  that  the  same  tale  of  mur- 
der and  destruction  is  common  wherever  the  traffic  extends,  no 
matter  by  whom  it  is  carried  on.] 

March  loth. — Falsehood  seems  ingrained  in  their  constitutions: 
no  wonder  that  in  all  this  region  they  have  never  tried  to  propa- 
gate Islamism :  the  natives  soon  learn  to  hate  them,  and  slaving, 
as  carried  on  by  the  Kilwas  and  Ujijians,  is  so  bloody  as  to  prove 
an  effectual  barrier  against  proselytism. 

My  men  are  not  come  back :  I  fear  they  are  engaged  in  some 
broil.  In  confirmation  of  what  I  write,  some  of  the  party  here 
assaulted  a  village  of  Kasonga's,  killed  three  men,  and  captured 
women  and  children  :  they  pretended  that  they  did  not  know 
them  to  be  his  people,  but  they  did  not  return*  the  captives. 

March  20th. — I  am  heart-sore,  and  sick  of  human  blood. 

March  21st. — Kasonga's  brother  s  child  died,  and  he  asked  me 
to  remain  to-day  while  he  buried  the  dead,  and  he  would  give  me 
a  guide  to-morrow  :  being  rainy,  I  stopped  willingl}'-.  Dugumbe 
is  said  to  purpose  going  down  the  river  to  Kanagumbu  Eiver  to 
build  on  the  land  Kanagumbe,  which  is  a  loop  formed  by  the  riv- 
er, and  is  large.  He  is  believed  to  possess  great  power  of  divina- 
tion, even  of  killing  unfaithful  women. 

March  22d. — I  am  detained  another  day  by  the  sickness  of  one 
of  the  party.  Very  cold  rain  yesterday  from  the  north-west.  1 
hope  to  go  to-morrow  toward  the  Lakoni,  or  great  market  of  this 
region. 

March  23c?. — Left  Kasonga,  who  gave  me  a  goat  and  a  guide. 
The  country  is  gently  undulating,  showing  green  slopes  fringed 
with  wood,  with  grass  from  four  to  six  feet.  We  reached  Katen- 
ga's,  about  five  miles  off.  There  are  many  villages,  and  people 
passed  us  carrying  loads  of  provisions  and  cassava  from  the  chi- 
toka,  or  market. 

Alarch  2-itli. — Great  rain  in  the  night  and  morning,  and  sick- 
ness of  the  men  prevented  our  march. 

March  2bth. — Went  to  Mazimwe,  seven  miles  and  a  half  ofT. 

2farch26th. — Went  four  miles,  and  crossed  the  Kabwimaji; 
then  a  mile  beyond  Kahcmbai,  wliich  flows  into  the  Kunda,  and 
it  into  the  Lualaba.  The  country  is  open,  and  low  hills  appear 
in  the  north.  We  met  a  party  from  the  traders  at  Kasonga, 
chiefly  Matercka's  people,  under  Salem  and  Syde  bin  Sultan. 
They  had  eighty-two  captives,  and  say  they  fought  ten  days  to 
secure  them  and  two  of  the  Malongwana,  and  two  of  the  Ban- 


CONCOCTING  A  MUTINY. 


3G5 


yamwezi.  They  had  about  twenty  tusks,  and  carried  one  of  their 
men,  who  broke  his  leg  in  fighting.  We  shall  be  safe  only  when 
past  the  bloodshed  and  murder. 

March  21th. — We  went  along  a  ridge  of  land  overhanging  a 
fine  valley  of  denudation,  with  well-cultivated  hills  in  the  dis- 
tance (north),  where  lEassani's  feat  of  bloodshed  was  performed. 
There  are  many  villages  on  the  ridge,  some  rather  tumble-down 
ones,  which  always  indicate  some  misrule.  Our  march  was  about 
seven  miles.  A  head  man  who  went  with  us  plagued  anothei' 
chief  to  give  me  a  goat.  I  refused  to  take  what  was  not  given 
willingly,  but  the  slaves  secured  it;  and  I  threatened  our  com- 
panion, Kama,  with  dismissal  from  our  party  if  he  became  a  tool 
in  slave  hands.    The  arum  is  common. 

March  28(h. — The  Bunian  slaves  are  again  trying  compulsion — 
I  do  not  know  what  for.  They  refused  to  take  their  bread  ra- 
tions, and  made  Chakanga  spokesman  :  I  could  not  listen  to  it,  as 
he  has  been  concocting  a  mutiny  against  me.  It  is  excessive- 
ly trying;  and  so  many  difficulties  have  been  put  in  my  way,  I 
doubt  whether  the  Divine  favor  and  will  is  on  my  side. 

We  came  six  miles  to-day,  crossing  many  rivulets  running  to 
the  Kunda,  which  also  we  crossed  in  a  canoe ;  it  is  almost  thirty 
yards  wide,  and  deep.  Afterward,  near  the  village  where  we 
slept,  we  crossed  the  Luja,  about  twenty  yards  wide,  going  into 
the  Kunda  and  Lualaba.  I  am  greatly  distressed  because  there 
is  no  law  liere.  They  probably  mean  to  create  a  disturbance  at 
Abcd's  place,  to  which  we  are  near:  the  Lord  look  on  it! 

Ifarch  29///. — Crossed  the  Liya,  and  next  day  the  Moangoi,by 
two  well-made  wattle  bridges  at  an  island  in  its  bed :  it  is  twenty 
yards,  and  has  a  very  strong  current,  which  makes  all  the  market- 
people  fear  it.  We  then  crossed  the  Molembd  in  a  canoe,  which 
is  fifteen  yards,  but  swelled  by  rains  and  many  rills.  Came  seven 
miles  and  a  half  to  sleep  at  one  of  the  outlying  villages  of  Nyang- 
About  sixty  market-people  came  past  us  from  the  chitoka, 
or  market-place,  on  the  banks  of  Lualaba;  they  go  thither  at 
night,  and  come  away  about  midday,  having  disposed  of  most  of 
their  goods  by  barter.  The  country  is  open,  and  dotted  over 
with  trees,  chiefly  a  species  of  bauhinia,  that  resists  the  annual 
grass  burnings.  There  arc  trees  along  the  water -courses,  and 
many  villages,  each  with  a  host  of  pigs.  This  region  is  low  as 
compared  with  Tanganyika;  about  two  thou.sand  feet  above  the 
sea. 

The  head  man's  house,  in  which  I  was  lodged,  contained  tiie 
housewife's  little  conveniences,  in  the  sliape  of  forty  pots,  dishes, 


366 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


baskets,  knives,  mats,  all  of  which  she  removed  to  another  house : 
I  gave  her  four  strings  of  beads,  and  go  on  to-morrow.  Crossed 
the  Kunda  River,  and  seven  miles  more  brought  us  to  Nyangwe, 
where  we  found  Abed  and  Hassani  had  erected  their  dwellings, 
and  sent  their  people  over  Lualaba,  and  as  far  west  as  the  Loeki 
or  Lomame.  Abed  said  that  my  words  against  blood-shedding 
had  stuck  into  him,  and  he  had  given  orders  to  his  people  to  give 
presents  to  the  chiefs,  but  never  fight  unless  actuallj^  attacked. 

March  Zlst. — I  went  down  to  take  a  good  look  at  the  Lualaba 
here.  It  is  narrower  than  it  is  higher  up,  but  still  a  mighty  riv- 
er— at  least  three  thousand  yards  broad,  and  always  deep  :  it  can 
never  be  waded  at  any  point,  or  at  any  time  of  the  3'^ear;  the 
people  unhesitatingly  declare  that  if  any  one  tried  to  ford  it,  he 
would  assuredly  be  lost.  It  has  many  large  islands,  and  at  these 
it  is  about  two  thousand  yards,  or  one  mile.  The  banks  are  steep 
and  deep  :  there  is  clay,  and  a  yellow-clay  schist  in  their  struc-  . 
ture ;  the  other  rivers,  as  the  Luya  and  Kunda,  have  gravelly 
banks.  The  current  is  about  two  miles  an  hour  away  to  the 
north. 


^^V  INGENIOUS  CONTRIVANCE. 


367- 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

The  Chitoka,  or  Market  gathering. — The  broken  Watch.— Improvises  Ink. — Builds 
a  new  House  at  Nyafigwe',  on  the  Bank  of  the  Lualaba. — Marketing. — Cannibal- 
ism.— Lake  Kamalondo. — Dreadful  Effect  of  Slaving. — Xews  of  Country  across  the 
Lualaba. — Tiresome  Frustration. — The  Bakuss. — Feeble  Health. — Busy  Scene  at 
Market. — Unable  to  procure  Canoes. — Disaster  to  Arab  Canoes. — Rapids  in  Lua- 
laba.— Project  for  visiting  Lake  Lincoln  and  the  Lomame. — Offers  large  Reward 
for  Canoes  and  Men.— The  Slave's  Mistress. — Alarm  of  Natives  at  Market. — Fiend- 
ish Slaughter  of  Women  by  Arabs. — Heart-rending  Scene. — Death  on  Land  and 
in  the  River. — Tagamoios  Assassinations. — Continued  Slaughter  across  the  Riv- 
er.— Livingstone  becomes  desponding. 

Ajnil  1.5<,  1871. — The  bcanks  are  well  peopled,  but  one  must 
see  the  gathering  at  the  market,  of  about  three  thousand,  chiefly 
women,  to  judge  of  their  numbers.  They  hold  market  one  day, 
and  then  omit  attendance  here  for  three  days,  going  to  other 
markets  at  other  points  in  the  intervals.  It  is  a  great  institution 
in  Manyuema:  numbers  seem  to  inspire  confidence,  and  they  en- 
force justice  for  each  other.  As  a  rule,  all  prefer  to  buy  and  sell 
in  the  market,  to  doing  business  anywhere  else;  if  one  says, 
"Come,  sell  me  that  fowl  or  cloth,"  the  reply  is,  "Come  to  the 
'  chitoka,'  or  market-place." 

April  2d. — To-day  the  market  contained  over  a  thousand  peo- 
ple, carrying  earthen  pots  and  cassava,  grass-cloth,  fishes,  and 
fowls;  they  were  alarmed  at  my  coming  among  them,  and  were 
ready  to  flee ;  many  stood  afar  off  in  suspicion  ;  some  came  from 
the  other  side  of  the  river  with  tlieir  goods.  To-morrow  market 
is  held  up  river. 

April  Sd. — I  tried  to  secure  a  longitude  by  fixing  a  weight  on 
the  key  of  the  watch,  and  so  helping  it  on  :  I  will  try  this  in  a 
quiet  place  to-morrow.  The  people  all  fear  us;  and  they  have 
good  reason  for  it,  in  the  villainous  conduct  of  many  of  the  black- 
guard half-castes,  which  alarms  them.  1  can  not  get  a  canoe,  so 
I  wait  to  see  what  will  turn  up.  The  river  is  said  to  overflow 
all  its  banks  annually,  as  the  Nile  does  farther  down.  I  sounded 
across  yesterday.  Near  the  bank  it  is  nine  feet,  the  rest  fifteen 
feet;  and  one  cast  in  the  middle  was  twenty  feet:  between  the 
islands  twelve  feet,  and  nine  feet  again  inshore:  it  is  a  mighty 
river  truly.  I  took  distances  and  altitudes  alternately,  with  a 
bullet  for  a  weight  on  the  key  of  the  chronometer,  taking  succes- 


368 


LiriNGSTO:!ffE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


sive  altitudes  of  the  sun  and  distances  of  the  moon.  Possibly  the 
first  and  last  altitudes  may  give  the  rate  of  going,  and  the  frequent 
distances  between  may  give  approximate  longitude. 

April  4:th. — Moon,  the  fourth  of  the  Arabs,  will  appear  in  three 
or  four  days.  This  will  be  a  guide  in  ascertaining  the  day  of 
observing  the  lunars,  with  the  weight. 

The  Arabs  ask  many  questions  about  the  Bible,  and  want  to 
know  how  many  prophets  have  appeared,  and  pi'obably  say  that 
they  believe  in  them  all ;  while  we  believe  all,  but  reject  Moham- 
med. It  is  easy  to  drive  them  into  a  corner  by  questioning,  as 
they  do  not  know  whither  the  inquiries  lead ;  and  they  are  not 
offended  when  their  knowledge  is,  as  it  were,  admitted.  When 
asked  how  many  false  prophets  are  known,  they  appeal  to  my 
know^ledge,  and  evidently  never  heard  of  Balaam,  the  son  of 
Beor,  or  of  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  false  prophets  of  Jezebel 
and  Ahab,  or  of  the  many  lying  prophets  referred  to  in  the . 
Bible. 

Ajrril  6ih. — 111  from  drinking  two  cups  of  very  sweet  malofu, 
or  beer,  made  from  bananas :  I  shall  touch  it  no  more. 

April  7ih. — Made  this  ink  with  the  seeds  of  a  plant  called  by 
the  Arabs  zugifare ;  it  is  known  in  India,  and  is  used  here  by 
the  ]\Ianyuema  to  dye  virambos,  and  ornament  faces  and  heads.* 
1  sent  my  people  over  to  the  other  side  to  cut  wood  to  build  a 
house  for  me;  the  borrowed  one  has  mud  walls  and  floors,  which 
are  damp,  foul-smelling,  and  unwholesome.  I  shall  have  grass 
walls,  and  grass  and  reeds  on  the  floor  of  my  own  house;  the 
free  ventilation  will  keep  it  sweet.  This  is  the  season  called 
Masika,  the  finishing  rains,  which  we  have  in  large  quantities  al- 
most every  night,  and  I  could  scarcely  travel  even  if  I  had  a 
canoe ;  still  it  is  trying  to  be  kept  back  by  suspicion,  and  by  the 
wickedness  of  the  wicked. 

Some  of  the  Arabs  try  to  be  kind,  and  send  cooked  food  every 
day :  Abed  is  the  chief  donor.  I  taught  him  to  make  a  mos- 
quito-curtain of  thin  printed  calico,  for  he  had  endured  the  per- 
secution of  these  insects  helplessly,  except  by  sleeping  on  a  high 
stage,  when  they  were  unusually  bad.    Tlie  Manyuema  often 


*  Tlie  reader  will  best  judge  of  the  success  of  tlic  experiment  by  looking  at  a  speci- 
men of  the  writing.  An  old  sheet  of  ihe  S/cuidard  newspaper,  made  into  rough  copy- 
books, sufficed  for  pa])er,  in  the  absence  of  all  other  material ;  and  by  writing  across 
the  print,  no  doubt  the  notes  were  tolerably  legible  at  the  time.  The  color  of  the 
decoction  used  instead  of  ink  has  faded  so  much,  that  if  Dr.  l^ivingstone's  handwrit- 
ing had  not  at  all  times  been  l)eautifully  clear  and  distinct,  it  would  have  been  impos- 
sible to  decipher  ibis  part  of  his  diary. ^ — Eu. 


s3\aaAV  'QHvaxvxs  anx 


lenilcrif 
!|)iiratc 

of  Qycovs 
t'xtiii.    Half  n  iCilc.  'Oliily 
MIN(;T()>I  -MRETINO— Trrhi.AY.     ^'r        Wood'^   Noitlierii  Stnr,  by  tiipu   Klyawny— Stnr  nf 

Uriel  Ijif.ic  the  riicc-i  ruiniiiciicfil        Iiiilin,  4  yii',  T^t  711)  f!'*.  W  ll-on  1 

11^'  liiiil  liiM  ii  liil),'lit  with  an  omi-     Mr.  Iloiul  u  linniiii;  Katie,  3  yry,  Txt  lOIb  Wyalt  2 

.    Tlw  Wiirwick  pnHlmv;',  wlicro    Mr.  >t('V('n!<'H  Clintcaii  Marpiiix,  4  yiv,  Tut  J.  Clark  3 

'•(•ticky"  all  1  Iwmvv  f-'oiiif;  but     Mr.  W.  Ilulinaii'x  I,a.«t  Hobc  of  Siiniiiii-r,  4  yf",  "(it  Sib 

lln'lilTtrl  (j 

-    V  rii'iii|iolciiliaiy,  3  yr.-,  ist  Viiicll  0 


POUTION  OF  I.IVINfiSTOMi's  .lOIIUN.M.  W  11I;n   WltlTINCi  l-.M-liU  .\M>  INK  IIAH  FAll.l;-). 


THE  CHITOKA. 


369 


bring  evil  on  themselves  by  being  untrustworthy.  For  instance, 
I  paid  one  to  bring  a  large  canoe  to  cross  the  Lualaba ;  he 
brought  a  small  one,  capable  of  carrying  three  only;  and  after 
wasting  some  hours,  we  had  to  put  off  crossing  till  next  day. 

April  8th. — Every  head  man  of  four  or  five  huts  is  a  mologhwe, 
or  chief,  and  glories  in  being  called  so.  There  is  no  political  co- 
hesion. The  Ujijian  slavery  is  an  accursed  system;  but  it  must 
be  admitted  that  the  Manyuema,  too,  have  faults,  the  result  of  ig- 
norance of  other  people.  Their  isolation  has  made  them  as  un- 
conscious of  danger,  in  dealing  with  the  cruel  stranger,  as  little 
dogs  in  the  presence  of  lions.  Their  refusal  to  sell  or  lend  canoes 
for  fear  of  blame  by  each  other  will  be  ended  by  the  party  of 
Dugumbe,  which  has  ten  head  men,  taking  them  by  force ;  they 
are  unreasonable  and  bloody-minded  toward  each  other:  every 
Manyuema  would  like  every  other  head  man  slain  ;  they  are  sub- 
jected to  bitter  lessons  and  sore  experience.  Abed  went  over 
to  mologhwe  Kahembe,  and  mixed  blood  with  him ;  he  was  told 
that  two  large  canoes  were  hollowed  out,  and  nearly  ready  to  be 
brought  for  sale.  If  this  can  be  managed  peaceably,  it  is  a  great 
point  gained;  and  I  may  get  one  at  our  Arabs'  price,  which  may 
be  three  or  four  times  the  native  price.  There  is  no  love  lost 
among  the  three  Arabs  here. 

Ajml  9th. — Cut  wood  for  my  bouse.  The  Loeki  is  said  by 
slaves  who  have  come  thence  to  be  much  larger  than  the  Lua- 
laba, but  on  the  return  of  Abed's  people  from  the  west  we  shall 
obtain  better  information. 

Ajrril  10th. — Chitoka,  or  market,  to-day.  I  counted  upward 
of  seven  hundred  passing  my  door.  With  market-women  it 
seems  to  be  a  pleasure  of  life  to  haggle  and  joke,  and  laugh  and 
cheat:  many  come  eagerly,  and  retire  with  care-worn  faces;  many 
are  beautiful,  and  many  old ;  all  carry  very  heavy  loads  of  dried 
cassava  and  earthen  pots,  which  they  dispose  of  very  cheaply  for 
palm-oil,  fish,  salt,  pepper,  and  relishes  for  their  food.  The  men 
appear  in  gaudy  lambas,  and  carry  little  save  their  iron  wares, 
fowls,  grass-cloth,  and  pigs. 

Bought  the  fish  with  the  long  snouts  :  very  good  eating. 

Ajml  l^lli. — New  moon  last  night;  fourth  Arab  month  :  I  am 
at  a  loss  for  the  day  of  the  month.  My  new  house  is  finished ; 
a  great  comfort,  for  the  other  was  foul,  and  full  of  vermin  :  bugs 
(tapazi,  or  ticks),  that  follow  wherever  Arabs  go,  madc  nie  mis- 
erable, but  the  Arabs  are  insensible  to  them ;  Abed  alone  had  a 
mosquito-curtain,  and  he  never  could  praise  it  enough.  One  of 
his  remarks  is,  "If  slaves  think  you  fear  them,  they  will  climb 


370 


LIVIXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


over  you."  I  clothed  mine  for  nothing,  and  ever  after  they  have 
tried  to  ride  rough-shod  over  me,  and  mutiny  on  every  occasion ! 

April  l^th. — Kaherabe  came  over,  and  promises  to  bring  a  ca- 
noe ;  but  he  is  not  to  be  trusted ;  be  presented  Abed  with  two 
slaves,  and  is  full  of  fair  promises  about  the  canoe,  which  he  sees 
I  am  anxious  to  get.  They  all  think  that  my  buying  a  canoe 
means  carrying  war  to  the  left  bank ;  and  now  my  Banian  slaves 
encourage  the  idea:  "He  does  not  wish  slaves  nor  ivory,"  say 
they,  "but  a  canoe,  in  order  to  kill  Manyuema."  Need  it  be 
wondered  at  that  people  who  had  never  heard  of  strangers  or 
white  men  before  I  popped  down  among  them  believed  the  slan- 
der? The  slaves  were  aided  in  propagating  the  false  accusation 
by  the  half-caste  Ujijian  slaves  at  the  camp.  Hassani  fed  them 
every  day ;  and,  seeing  that  he  was  a  bigoted  Moslem,  they  equal- 
ed him  in  prayers  in  his  sitting-place  seven  or.eight  times  a  day! 
They  were  adepts ''at  lying,  and  the  first  Manyuema  words  they 
learned  were  used  to  propagate  falsehood. 

I  have  been  writing  part  of  a  dispatch,  in  case  of  meeting  peo- 
ple from  the  French  settlement  on  the  Gaboon  at  Locki,  but  the 
canoe  affair  is  slow  and  tedious:  the  people  think  only  of  war: 
they  are  a  bloody-minded  race. 

April  loth. — The  Manyuema  tribe,  called  Bagenya,  occupy  the 
left  bank,  opposite  Nyangwe.  A  spring  of  brine  rises  in  the  bed  • 
of  a  river  named  Lofubu,  and  this  the  Bayenga  inspissate  by  boil- 
ing, and  sell  the  salt  at  market.  The  Lomamc  is  about  ten  days 
west  of  Lualaba,  and  very  large ;  the  confluence  of  Lomame,  or 
Loeki,  is  about  six  days  down  below  Nyangwc  by  canoe;  the 
River  N'yanz(3  is  still  less  distant. 

April  16ih.  —  On  the  Nyanze  stands  the  principal  town  and 
market  of  the  chief,  Zurampela.  Eashid  visited  him,  and  got 
two  slaves  on  promising  to  bring  a  war-party  from  Abed  against 
Chipangc,  who  by  similar  means  obtained  the  help  of  Salem 
Mokadam  to  secure  eighty-two  captives.  Rashid  will  leave  this 
as  soon  as  possible,  sell  the  slaves,  and  leave  Zurampela  to  find 
out  the  fraud!  This  deceit,  which  is  an  average  specimen  of  the 
beginning  of  half  caste  dealings,  vitiates  his  evidence  of  a  speci- 
men of  cannibalism  which  he  witnessed ;  but  it  was  after  a  fight 
that  the  victims  were  cut  up ;  and  this  agrees  with  the  fact  that 
the  Manyuema  eat  only  those  who  are  killed  in  war.  Some  have 
averred  that  captives,  too,  are  eaten,  and  a  slave  is  bought  with 
a  goat  to  be  eaten ;  but  this  I  very  strongly  doubt. 

April  11th. — Rainy. 

April  IQlh. — I  found  that  the  Lepidosiirn  is  brought  to  market 


LIFE  AT  X YANG  we. 


371 


in  pots  with  water  in  them  ;  also  white  ants  roasted,  and  the  large 
snail,  Achetina,  and  a  common  snail :  the  Lepidosireu  is  called 
•'5e?/ii'?." 

Abed  went  a  long  way  to  examine  a  canoe,  but  it  was  still 
farther,  and  he  turned  back. 

19th. — Dreary  waiting ;  but  Abed  proposes  to  join  and 
trade  along  with  me :  this  will  render  our  party  stronger,  and  he 
will  not  shoot  people  in  my  company ;  we  shall  hear  Katomba's 
people's  story  too. 

A2rril  20i/i. — Katomba,  a  chief,  was  to  visit  us  yesterday,  but 
failed,  probably  through  fear. 

The  chief  Mokandira  says  that  Loeki  is  small  where  it  joins 
Lualaba ;  but  another,  which  they  call  Lomame,  is  very  much 
larger,  and  joins  Lualaba  too  :  rapids  are  reported  on  it. 

Ajrril  21st. — A  common  salutation  reminds  me  of  the  Bechu- 
ana's  "U  le  hatsi"  (thou  art  on  earth);  "Ua  tala"  (thou  lookest); 
"  Ua  boka,"  or  byoka  (thou  awakest) ;  "  U  ri  ho"  (thou  art  here) ; 
"U  li  koni"  (thou  art  here) — about  pure  "Sichuana,"  and  "Nya" 
(no),  is  identical.  The  men  here  deny  that  cannibalism  is  com- 
mon :  they  eat  only  those  killed  in  war,  and,  it  seems,  in  revenge ; 
for,  said  Mokandira,  "the  meat  is  not  nice;  it  makes  one  dream 
of  the  dead  man."  Some  west  of  Lualaba  eat  even  those  bought 
for  the  purpo.se  of  a  feast;  but  I  am  not  quite  positive  on  this 
point :  all  agree  in  saying  that  human  flesh  is  saltish,  and  needs 
but  little  condiment.  And  yet  they  are  a  fine-looking  race :  I 
would  back  a  company  of  Manyuema  men  to  be  far  superior  in 
shape  of  head,  and  generally  in  physical  form  too,  against  the 
whole  Anthropological  Society.  Many  of  the  women  are  very 
light-colored,  and  very  pretty  ;  they  dress  in  a  kilt  of  many  folds 
of  gaudy  lambas. 

Aj'^rU  22d. — In  Manyuema,  here  Kusi,  Kunzi,  is  north ;  Mhuru, 
soutli ;  Nkanda,  west,  or  other  side  Lualaba ;  Mazimba,  east.  The 
people  arc  sometimes  confused  in  name  by  the  directions;  thus, 
Bankanda  is  only  "the  other  side  folk."  The  Bagenya  Chim- 
buru  came  to  visit  me,  but  I  did  not  see  him,  nor  did  I  know 
Moenc  Nyangwc  till  too  late  to  do  him  honor;  in  fact,  every  ef- 
fort was  made  to  keep  me  in  the  dark  while  the  slavers  of  Ujiji 
made  all  smooth  for  themselves  to  get  canoes.  All  chiefs  claim 
the  privilege  of  shaking  hands,  that  is,  they  touch  the  hand  held 
out  with  their  palm,  then  clap  two  hands  together,  then  touch 
again,  and  clap  again,  and  the  ceremony  concludes:  this  frequen- 
cy of  shaking  hands  misled  me  when  the  great  man  came. 

Ajyril  2ith. — Old  feuds  lead  the  Manyuema  to  cntraj)  the  trad- 


372 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


ers  to  fight ;  they  invite  them  to  go  to  trade,  and  tell  them  that 
at  such  a  village  plenty  of  ivory  lies ;  then  when  the  trader  goes 
with  his  people,  word  is  sent  that  he  is  coming  to  fight,  and  he  is 
met  by  enemies,  who  compel  him  to  defend  himself  by  their  on- 
slaught. "VVe  were  nearly  entrapped  in  this  way  by  a  chief  pre- 
tending to  guide  us  through  the  country  near  Basilauge;  he 
would  have  landed  us  in  a  fight,  but  we  detected  his  drift,  changed 
our  course  so  as  to  mislead  any  messengers  he  might  have  sent, 
and  dismissed  him  with  some  sharp  words. 

Lake  Kamolondo  is  about  twenty- five  miles  broad.  The  Lu- 
fira  at  Katanga  is  a  full  bow-shot  wide ;  it  goes  into  Kamolondo. 
Chakomo  is  east  of  Lufira  Junction.  Kikonzd  Kalanza  is  on  the 
west  of  it,  and  Mkana,  or  the  under-ground  dwellings,  still  farther 
west :  some  are  only  two  daj's  from  Katanga.  The  Chorwe  peo- 
ple are  friendly.  Kamolondo  is  about  ten  days,  distant  from  Ka- 
tanga. 

Ai^ril  2oth. — News  came  that  four  men  sent  by  Abed  to  buy 
ivory  had  been  entrapped,  and  two  killed.  The  rest  sent  for  aid  to 
punish  the  murderers,  and  Abed  wished  me  to  send  my  people  to 
bring  the  remaining  two  men  back.  I  declined;  because,  no  mat- 
ter what  charges  I  gave,  my  Banian  slaves  would  be  sure  to  shed 
human  blood.  We  can  go  nowhere  but  the  people  of  the  coun- 
try ask  us  to  kill  their  fellow-men;  nor  can  they  be  induced  to 
go  to  villages  three  miles  off,  because  there,  in  all  probability, 
live  the  murderers  of  fothers,  uncles,  or  grandfathers — a  dreadful 
state  truly.  The  traders  are  as  blood-thirsty  every  whit  as  the 
Man3-uema,  where  no  danger  exists ;  but  in  most  cases  where  the 
people  can  fight  they  are  as  civil  as  possible.  At  Mocrd  Mpan- 
da's,  the  son  of  Casembe,  Mohamad  Bogharib  left  a  debt  of  twen- 
ty-eight slaves  and  eight  bars  of  copper,  each  seventy  pounds, 
and  did  not  dare  to  fire  a  shot  because  they  saw  they  had  met 
their  match :  here  his  head  men  are  said  to  have  bound  the  head 
men  of  villages  till  a  ransom  was  paid  in  tusks !  Had  they  only 
gone  three  days  farther  to  the  Babisa,  to  whom  Moenemokaia's 
men  went,  they  would  have  got  fine  ivory  at  two  rings  a  tusk, 
while  they  had  paid  from  ten  to  eighteen.  Here  it  is  as  sad  a 
tale  to  tell  as  was  that  of  the  Manganja  scattered  and  peeled  by 
the  Waiyau  agents  of  the  Portuguese  of  T(5tte.  The  good  Lord 
look  on  it ! 

April  26th. — Chitovu  called  nine  slaves  bought  by  Abed's  peo- 
ple from  the  Kuss  country,  west  of  the  Lualabn,  and  asked  them 
about  their  tribes  and  country  for  me.  One,  with  his  upper  front 
teeth  extracted,  was  of  the  tribe  Maloba,  on  the  other  side  of  the 


AEEIVAL  OF  KATOMBA'S  PEOPLE. 


373 


Loeki ;  another  comes  from  the  Eiver  Lombadzo,  or  Lombazo, 
which  is  west  of  Loeki  (this  may  be  another  name  for  the  Lo- 
mame) :  the  country  is  called  Nanga,  and  the  tribe  Nongo,  chief 
Mpunzo.  The  Malobo  tribe  is  under  the  chiefs  Yunga  and  Lo- 
raadyo.  Another  toothless  boy  said  that  he  came  from  the  Lo- 
mame :  the  upper  teeth  extracted  seem  to  say  that  the  tribe  have 
cattle ;  the  knocking  out  the  teeth  is  in  imitation  of  the  animals 
they  almost  worship.  No  traders  had  ever  visited  them ;  this 
promises  ivory  to  the  present  visitors :  all  that  is  now  done  with 
the  ivory  there  is  to  make  rude  blowing-horns  and  bracelets. 

April  llili. — Waiting  wearily  and  anxiously;  we  can  not  move 
people  who  are  far  off  and  make  them  come  near  with  news. 
Even  the  owners  of  canoes  say,  "Yes,  yes;  we  shall  bring  them," 
but  do  not  stir;  they  doubt  us,  and  my  slaves  increase  the  dis- 
trust by  their  lies  to  the  Manyuema. 

A'pril  l^ili. — Abed  sent  over  Manyuema  to  buy  slaves  for  him, 
and  got  a  pretty  woman  for  three  hundred  cowries  and  a  hun- 
dred strings  of  beads ;  she  can  be  sold  again  to  an  Arab  for  much 
more  in  ivory.  Abed  himself  gave  one  hundred  and  thirty  dol- 
lars for  a  woman-cook,  and  she  fled  to  me  when  put  in  chains  for 
some  crime :  I  interceded,  and  she  was  loosed.  I  advised  her  not 
to  offend  again,  because  I  could  not  beg  for  her  twice, 

Uassani,  with  ten  slaves,  dug  at  the  malachite  mines  of  Katan- 
ga for  three  months,  and  gained  a  hundred  frasilahs  of  copper,  or 
three  thousand  five  hundred  pounds.  We  hear  of  a  half- caste 
reaching  the  other  side  of  Lomam(5,  probably  from  Congo  or  Am- 
briz,  but  the  messengers  had  not  seen  him. 

May  l.s<,  1871.  —  Katomba's  people  arrived  from  the  Babisa, 
where  they  sold  all  their  copper  at  two  rings  for  a  tusk,  and  then 
found  that  abundance  of  ivory  still  remained :  door-posts  and 
house- pillars  had  been  made  of  ivory  which  now  was  rotten. 
The  people  of  Babisa  kill  elephants  now,  and  bring  tusks  by  the 
dozen,  till  the  traders  get  so  many  that  in  this  case  they  carried 
them  by  three  relays.  They  dress  their  hair  like  the  Bashuku- 
lompo,  plaited  into  upright  basket  helmets.  No  quarrel  occur- 
red, and  great  kindness  was  shown  to  the  strangers.  A  river, 
having  very  black  water,  the  Nyengerd,  flows  into  Lualaba  from 
the  west,  and  it  becomes  itself  very  large  :  another  river  or  water, 
Sliamikwa,  Dills  into  it  from  the  south-west,  and  it  becomes  still 
larger:  this  is  probably  the  Lomamd  A  short-horned  antelope 
is  common. 

Miuj  'S<1.  —  Abed  informs  mc  that  a  canoe  will  come  in  fiv<.- 
days.    Word  was  sent  after  me  by  the  traders  south  of  us  not 


374 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


to  aid  me,  as  I  was  sure  to  die  where  I  was  going:  the  wish  is 
father  to  the  thought!  Abed  was  naturally  very  anxious  to  get 
first  into  the  Babisa  ivory  market,  yet  he  tried  to  secure  a  canoe 
for  me  before  he  went;  but  he  was  too  eager,  and  a  Manyuema 
man  took  advantage  of  his  desire,  and  came  over  the  river  and 
said  that  he  had  one  hollowed  out,  and  he  wanted  goats  and 
beads  to  hire  people  to  drag  it  down  to  the  water.  Abed  on  my 
account  advanced  five  goats,  a  thousand  cowries,  and  many  beads, 
and  said  that  he  would  tell  me  what  he  wished  in  return  :  this 
was  debt,  but  I  was  so  anxious  to  get  away  I  was  content  to 
take  the  canoe  on  any  terms.  However,  it  turned  out  that  the 
matter  on  the  part  of  the  head  man  whom  Abed  trusted  was  all 
deception :  he  had  no  canoe  at  all,  but  knew  of  one  belonging  to 
another  man,  and  wished  to  get  Abed  and  me  to  send  men  to  see 
it — in  fact,  to  go  with  their  guns,  and  he  would  manage  to  em- 
broil them  with  the  real  owner,  so  that  some  old  feud  should  be 
settled  to  his  satisfaction.  On  finding  that  I  declined  to  be  led 
into  his  trap,  he  took  a  female  slave  to  the  owner,  and  on  his  re- 
fusal to  sell  the  canoe  for  her,  it  came  out  that  he  had  adopted 
a  system  of  fraud  to  Abed.  He  had  victimized  Abed,  who  was 
naturally  inclined  to  believe  his  f;ilse  statements,  and  get  off  to 
the  ivory  market.  His  people  came  from  the  Kuss  country  in 
the  west  with  sixteen  tusks,  and  a  great  many  slaves  bought,  and 
not  murdered  for.  The  river  is  rising  fast,  and  bringins;  down 
large  quantities  of  aquatic  grass,  duck-weed,  etc.  The  water  is 
a  little  darker  in  color  than  at  Cairo.  People  remove,  and  build 
their  huts  on  the  higher  forest  lands  adjacent.  Many  white  birds 
(the  paddy  bird)  appear,  and  one  Ibis  religiosa;  they  pass  north. 

The  Bakuss  live  near  Lomame;  they  were  very  civil  and  kind 
to  the  strangers,  but  refused  passage  into  the  country.  At  my 
suggestion,  the  effect  of  a  musket-shot  was  shown  on  a  goat :  they 
thought  it  supernatural,  looked  up  to  the  clouds,  and  offered  to 
bring  ivory  to  buy  the  charm  that  could  draw  lightning  down. 
When  it  was  afterward  attempted  to  force  a  path,  they  darted 
aside  on  seeing  the  Banyamwezi's  followers  putting  the  arrows 
into  the  bow-strings,  but  stood  in  mute  amazement  looking  at  the 
guns,  which  mowed  them  down  in  large  numbers.  They  thought 
that  muskets  were  the  insignia  of  chieftainship.  Their  chiefs  all 
go  with  a  long  straight  stall"  of  rattan,  having  a  quantity  of  black 
medicine  smeared  on  each  end,  and  no  weapons  in  their  hands: 
they  imagined  that  the  guns  were  carried  as  insignia  of  the  same 
kind;  some,  jeering,  in  the  south  called  them  big  tobacco-pipes: 
they  have  no  fear  on  seeing  a  gun  leveled  at  them. 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


375 


They  use  large  and  very  long  spears  very  expertly  in  the  long 
grass  and  forest  of  their  country,  and  are  terrible  fellows  among 
themselves;  and  when  they  become  acquainted  with  fire-arms 
will  be  terrible  to  the  strangers  who  now  murder  them.  The 
Manyuema  say  truly,  "  If  it  were  not  for  your  guns,  not  one  of 
you  would  ever  return  to  your  country."  The  Bakuss  cultivate 
more  than  the  Southern  Manyuema,  especially  pennisetum  and 
dura,  or  Holms  sorr/hura;  common  coffee  is  abundant,  and  they 
use  it,  highly  scented  with  vanilla,  which  must  be  fertilized  by 
insects;  they  hand  round  cups  of  it  after  meals.  Pine-apples, 
too,  are  abundant.  They  bathe  regularly  twice  a  day;  their 
houses  are  of  two  stories.  The  women  have  rather  compressed 
heads,  but  very  pleasant  countenances,  and  ancient  Egyptian, 
round,  wide-awake  eyes.  Their  numbers  are  prodigious;  the 
country  literally  swarms  with  people,  and  a  chief's  town  extends 
upward  of  a  mile.  But  little  of  the  primeval  forest  remains. 
Many  large  pools  of  standing  water  have  to  be  crossed,  but  mar- 
kets are  held  every  eight  or  ten  miles  from  each  other;  and  to 
these  the  people  come  from  far,  for  the  market  is  as  great  an  in- 
stitution as  shopping  is  with  the  civilized.  Illicit  intercourse  is 
punished  by  the  whole  of  the  offender's  flxmily  being  enslaved. 

The  Bakuss  smelt  copper  from  the  ore,  and  sell  it  very  cheaply 
to  the  traders  for  beads.  The  project  of  going  in  canoes  now 
appeared  to  the  half-castes  so  plausible  that  they  all  tried  to  get 
the  Bagenya  on  the  west  bank  to  lend  them,  and  all  went  over 
to  mix  blood  and  make  friends  with  the  owners;  then  all  slan- 
dered me  as  not  to  be  trusted,  as  they,  their  blood-relations,  were, 
and  my  slaves  mutinied  and  would  go  no  farther.  They  mutinied 
three  times  here,  and  Hassani  harbored  them  till  I  told  him  that, 
if  an  English  officer  harbored  an  Arab  slave,  he  would  be  com- 
pelled by  the  consul  to  refund  the  price,  and  I  certainly  would 
not  let  him  escape;  this  frightened  him ;  but  I  was  at  the  mercy 
of  slaves  who  had  no  honor,  and  no  interest  in  going  into  danger. 

May  I61J1. — Abed  gave  mc  a  frasilah  of  Matunda  beads,  and  I 
returned  fourteen  fathoms  of  fine  American  sheeting,  but  it  was 
an  obligation  to  get  beads  from  one  whose  wealth  depended  on 
exchanging  beads  for  ivory. 

Mat/  17///. — At  least  three  thousand  people  at  market  to-day; 
and  my  going  among  them  has  taken  away  the  fear  engendered 
by  the  slanders  of  slaves  and  traders,  for  all  are  pleased  to  tell 
me  the  names  of  the  fishes  and  other  things.  Lepidosircns  are 
caught  by  the  neck  and  lifted  out  of  the  ])ot,  to  show  their  fat- 
ness.   Cam-wood  ground  and  made  into  ihit  cakes  for  sale,  and 


t 


•376 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


earthen  balls,  such  as  are  eaten  in  the  disease  safura,  or  earth-eat- 
ing, are  offered,  and  there  is  quite  a  roar  of  voices  in  the  multi- 
tude haggling.  It  was  pleasant  to  be  among  them,  compared  to 
being  with  the  slaves,  who  were  all  eager  to  go  back  to  Zanzi- 
bar :  some  told  me  that  they  were  slaves,  and  required  a  free 
man  to  thrash  them,  and  proposed  to  go  back  to  Ujiji  for  one. 
I  saw  no  hope  of  getting  on  with  them,  and  anxiously  longed  for 
the  arrival  of  Dugumbe  ;  and  at  last  Abed  overheard  them  plot- 
ting my  destruction.  "  If  forced  to  go  on,  they  would  watch  till 
the  first  difficulty  arose  with  the  Manyuema,  then  fire  off  their 
guns,  run  awa}',  and,  as  I  could  not  run  as  fast  as  they,  leave  me 
to  perish."  Abed  overheard  them  speaking  loudh'^,  and  advised 
me  strongly  not  to  trust  myself  to  them  any  more,  as  they  would 
be  sure  to  cause  my  death.  He  was  all  along  a  sincere  friend, 
and  I  could  not  but  take  his  words  as  well  meant  and  true. 

May  18^7i. — Abed  gave  me  two  hundred  cowries  and  some 
green  beads.  I  was  at  the  point  of  disarming  my  slaves  and 
driving  them  away,  when  they  relented,  and  professed  to  be  will- 
ing to  go  anywhere ;  so,  being  eager  to  finish  my  geographical 
work,  I  said  I  would  run  the  risk  of  their  desertion,  and  gave 
beads  to  buy  provisions  for  a  start  north.  I  can  not  state  how 
much  I  was  worried  by  these  wretched  slaves,  who  did  much  to 
annoy  me,  with  the  sj'mpathy  of  all  the  slaving  crew.  When 
baffled  by  untoward  circumstances,  the  bowels  plague  me  too; 
and  discharges  of  blood  relieve  the  headache,  and  are  as  safe- 
ty-valves to  the  system.  I  was  nearly  persuaded  to  allow  Mr. 
Syme  to  operate  on  me  when  last  in  England  ;  but  an  old  friend 
told  me  that  his  own  father  had  been  operated  on  by  the  famous 
John  Hunter,  and  died  in  consequence  at  the  early  age  of  forty. 
His  advice  saved  me,  for  this  complaint  has  been  my  safety-valve. 

The  zingifure,  or  red  pigment,  is  said  to  be  a  cure  for  itch 
common  among  both  natives  and  Arab  slaves  and  Arab  chil 
dren. 

May  20th. — Abed  called  Kalonga,  the  head  man,  who  beguiled 
him,  as  I  soon  found,  and  delivered  the  canoe  he  had  bought 
formally  to  me,  and  went  off  down  the  Lualaba  on  foot  to  buy 
the  Babisa  ivory.  I  was  to  follow  in  the  canoe  and  wait  for  him 
in  the  River  Luera ;  but  soon  I  ascertained  that  the  canoe  was 
still  in  the  forest,  and  did  not  belong  to  Kalonga.  On  demand- 
ing back  the  price,  he  said,  "Let  Abed  come,  and  I  will  give  it 
to  him  ;"  then  when  I  sent  to  force  him  to  give  up  the  goods,  all 
his  village  fled  into  the  forest.  I  now  tried  to  buy  one  myself 
from  the  Bngenya,  but  there  was  no  chance  ;  so  long  as  the  half- 


MARKET-DAY. 


377 


caste  traders  needed  any,  they  got  all — nine  large  canoes,  and  I 
could  not  secure  one. 

May  24:(h. — The  market  is  a  busy  scene  ;  every  one  is  in  dead 
earnest;  little  time  is  lost  in  friendly  greetings;  venders  offish 
run  about  with  potsherds  full  of  snails  or  small  fishes,  or  young 
Clarias  capensis  smoke-dried  and  spitted  on  twigs,  or  other  rel- 
ishes, to  exchange  for  cassava  roots  dried,  after  being  steeped 
about  three  days  in  water ;  potatoes,  vegetables,  or  grain,  ba- 
nanas, flour,  palm-oil,  fowls,  salt,  pepper.  Each  is  intensely  ea- 
ger to  barter  food  for  relishes,  and  makes  strong  assertions  as  to 
the  goodness  or  badness  of  every  thing;  the  sweat  stands  in 
beads  on  their  faces;  cocks  crow  briskly,  even  when  slung  over 
the  shoulder  with  their  heads  hanging  down,  and  pigs  squeal. 
Iron  knobs,  drawn  out  at  each  end  to  show  the  goodness  of  the 
metal,  are  exchanged  for  cloth  of  the  muab^-palm.  They  have 
a  large  funnel  of  basket-work  below  the  vessel  holding  the  wares, 
and  slip  the  goods  down  if  they  are  not  to  be  seen.  They  deal 
fairly,  and  when  differences  arise  they  are  easily  settled  by  the 
men  interfering  or  pointing  to  me  :  they  appeal  to  each  other, 
and  have  a  strong  sense  of  natural  justice.  With  so  much  food 
changing  hands  among  the  three  thousand  attendants,  much  bene- 
fit is  derived ;  some  come  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  miles.  The 
men  flaunt  about  in  gaudy-colored  lambas  of  many-folded  kilts; 
the  women  work  hardest ;  the  potters  slap  and  ring  their  earth- 
enware all  round,  to  show  that  there  is  not  a  single  flaw  in  them. 
I  bought  two  finely-shaped  earthen  bottles  of  porous  earthen- 
ware, to  hold  a  gallon  each,  for  one  siring  of  beads ;  the  women 
carry  huge  loads  of  them  in  their  funnels  above  the  baskets, 
strapped  to  the  shoulders  and  forehead,  and  their  hands  are  full 
besides;  the  roundness  of  the  vessels  is  wonderful,  seeing  no 
machine  is  used  :  no  slaves  could  be  induced  to  carry  half  as 
much  as  they  do  willingly.  It  is  a  .scene  of  the  finest  natural 
acting  imaginable.  The  eagerness  with  which  all  sorts  of  asser- 
tions arc  made — the  eager  earnestness  with  which  apparently  all 
creation,  above,  around,  and  beneath,  is  called  on  to  attest  the  truth 
of  what,  they  allege — and  then  the  intense  surprise  and  withering 
scorn  cast  on  tho.se  who  despise  their  goods :  but  they  show  no 
concern  when  the  buyers  turn  up  their  noses  at  them.  Little 
girls  run  about  selling  cups  of  water  for  a  few  small  fi.shes  to  the 
half-exhausted  wordy  combatants.  To  me  it  was  an  amusing  scene, 
t  could  not  understand  the  words  that  flowed  oil' their  glib  tongues, 
but  the  gestures  were  too  expressive  to  need  interpretation. 

Muij  27tfi. — Ilassani  told  me  that  since  he  had  come,  no  Man- 

26 


378 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


yuema  had  ever  presented  him  with  a  single  mouthful  of  food, 
not  even  a  potato  or  banana,  and  he  had  made  many  presents. 
Going  from  him  into  the  market,  I  noticed  that  one  man  present- 
ed a  few  small  fishes,  another  a  sweet-potato  and  a  piece  of  cas- 
sava, and  a  third  two  small  fishes;  but  the  Manyuema  are  not  n 
liberal  people.  Old  men  and  women  who  remained  in  the  hall- 
deserted  villages  we  passed  through  in  coming  north,  often  ran 
forth  to  present  me  with  bananas,  but  it  seemed  through  fear; 
when  I  sat  down  and  ate  the  bananas  they  brought  beer  of  ba- 
nanas, and  I  paid  for  all.  A  stranger  in  the  market  had  ten  hu- 
man under-jaw-bones  hung  by  a  string  over  his  shoulder:  on 
inquiry,  he  professed  to  have  killed  and  eaten  the  owners,  and 
showed  with  his  knife  how  he  cut  up  his  victim.  When  I  ex- 
pressed disgust,  he  and  others  laughed.  I  see  new  faces  every 
market-day.  Two  nice  girls  were  trying  to  "sell  their  venture, 
which  was  roasted  white  ants,  called  "gumbe." 

May  SOih. — The  river  fell  four  inches  during  the  last  four  days ; 
the  color  is  very  dark  brown,  and  large  quantities  of  aquatic 
plants  and  trees  float  down.  Mologhwe,  or  chief  Ndambo,  came 
and  mixed  blood  with  the  intensely  bigoted  Moslem,  Ilassani : 
this  is  to  secure  the  nine  canoes.  He  next  went  over  to  have 
more  palaver  about  them,  and  they  do  not  hesitate  to  play  me 
false  by  detraction.  The  Manyuema,  too,  are  untruthful,  but 
very  honest;  we  never  lose  an  article  by  them :  fowls  and  goats 
are  untouched ;  and  if  a  fowl  is  lost,  we  know  that  it  has  been 
stolen  by  an  Arab  slave.  When  with  Mohamad  Bogharib,  we 
had  all  to  keep  our  fowls  at  the  Manyuema  villages  to  prevent 
them  being  stolen  by  our  own  slaves,  and  it  is  so  here.  Hassani 
denies  complicity  with  them,  but  it  is  quite  apparent  that  he  and 
others  encourage  them  in  mutiny. 

June  5th,  1871. — The  river  rose  again  six  inches  and  fell  three. 
Rain  nearly  ceased,  and  large  masses  of  fleecy  clouds  float  down 
here  from  the  north-west,  with  accompanying  cold. 

June  7(h. — I  fear  that  I  must  march  on  foot,  but  the  mud  is 
forbidding. 

Ju7ie  11th. — New  moon  last  night,  and  I  believe  Dugumbc  will 
leave  Kasonga's  to-day.    River  down  three  inches. 

June  14th. — Hassani  got  nine  canoes,  and  put  sixty-three  per- 
.sons  in  three  :  I  can  not  get  one.  Dugumbe  reported  near,  but 
detained  by  his  divination,  at  which  he  is  an  expert;  hence  his 
native  name  is  "Molembalemba"  (writer,  writing). 

Jxne  16th. — The  high  winds,  and  drying  of  soap  and  sugar, 
tell  that  the  rains  are  now  over  in  this  part. 


A  CANOE  UPSETS. 


379 


June  18th. — Dugumbd  arrived,  but  passed  to  Moene  N'yangwe's, 
and  found  that  provisions  were  so  scarce  and  dear  there,  as  com- 
pared with  our  market,  that  he  was  fain  to  come  back  to  us.  He 
has  a  large  party,  and  five  hundred  guns.  He  is  determined  to 
go  into  new  fields  of  trade,  and  has  all  his  family  with  him,  and 
intends  to  remain  six  or  seven  years,  sending  regularly  to  Ujiji 
for  supplies  of  goods. 

June  20th. — Two  of  Dugumbe's  party  brought  presents  of  four 
large  fundos  of  beads  each.  All  know  that  my  goods  are  un- 
righteously detained  by  Shereef,  and  they  show  me  kindness, 
which  I  return  by  some  fine  calico  which  I  have.  Among  the 
first  words  Dugumbe  said  to  me  were,  "Why,  your  own  slaves 
are  your  greatest  enemies :  I  will  buy  you  a  canoe,  but  the  Ba- 
nian slaves'  slanders  have  put  all  the  ^Manyuema  against  you."' 
I  knew  that  this  was  true,  and  that  they  were  conscious  of  the 
sympathy  of  the  Ujijian  traders,  who  hate  to  have  me  here. 

June  24:th. — Hassani's  canoe-party  in  the  river  were  foiled  by 
narrows  after  they  had  gone  down  four  days.  Rocks  jut  out  on 
both  sides,  not  opposite,  but  alternate  to  each  other  :  and  the  vast 
mass  of  water  of  the  great  river  jammed  in,  rushes  round  one 
promontory  on  to  another,  and  a  frightful  whirlpool  is  formed,  in 
which  the  first  canoe  went  and  was  overturned,  and  five  lives 
lost.  Had  I  been  there,  mine  would  have  been  the  first  canoe : 
for  the  traders  would  have  made  it  a  point  of  honor  to  give  me 
the  precedence  (although  actually  to  make  a  feeler  of  me),  while 
they  looked  on  in  safety.  The  men  in  charge  of  Hassani's  canoes 
were  so  frightened  by  this  accident  that  they  at  once  resolved  to 
return,  though  they  had  arrived  in  the  country  of  the  ivory:  they 
never  looked  to  see  whether  the  canoes  could  be  dragged  past  the 
narrows,  as  any  one  else  would  have  done.  No  better  luck  could 
be  expected  after  all  their  fraud  and  duplicity  in  getting  the 
canoes;  no  harm  lay  in  obtaining  them,  but  why  try  to  prevent 
me  getting  one? 

June  27th. — In  answer  to  my  pra3'ers  for  preservation,  I  was 
prevented  going  down  to  the  narrows,  formed  by  a  dike  of  mount- 
ains cutting  across  country,  and  jutting  a  little  ajar,  which  makes 
the  water,  in  an  enormous  mass,  wheel  round  behind  it  helplessly, 
and  if  the  canoes  reach  the  rock  against  which  the  water  dashes 
they  arc  almost  certainly  overturned.  As  this  same  dike  prob- 
ably cuts-  across  country  to  Lomame,  my  plan  of  going  to  the 
confluence  and  then  up  will  not  do,  for  I  should  have  to  go  up 
rapids  there.  Again,  I  was  prevented  from  going  down  Luamo : 
and  on  the  north  of  its  confluence  another  cataract  mars  naviga- 


380 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


tion  in  the  Lualaba,  and  my  safety  is  thereby  secured.  We  do 
not  always  know  the  dangers  that  we  are  guided  past. 

June  28th. — The  river  has  fallen  two  feet:  dark-brown  water, 
and  still  much  wreck  floating  down. 

Eight  villages  are  in  flames — set  fire  to  by  a  slave  of  Syde  bin 
llabib,  called  Manilla,  who  thus  shows  his  blood  friends  of  the 
Bagenya  how  well  he  can  fight  against  the  Mohombo,  whose 
country  the  Bagenya  want!  The  stragglers  of  this  camp  are 
over  on  the  other  side  helping  Manilla,  and  catching  fugitives 
and  goats.  The  Bagenya  are  fishermen  by  taste  and  profession, 
and  sell  the  produce  of  their  nets  and  weirs  to  those  who  culti- 
vate the  soil,  at  the  different  markets.  Manilla's  foray  is  for  an 
alleged  debt  of  three  slaves,  and  ten  villages  are  burned. 

June  SOth. — Hassani  pretended  that  he  was  not  aware  of  Ma- 
nilla's foray ;  and  when  I  denounced  it  to  Manilla  himself,  he 
showed  that  he  was  a  slave,  by  cringing  and  saying  nothing  ex- 
cept something  about  the  debt  of  three  slaves. 

July  1st,  1871. — I  made  known  my  plan  to  Dugumbd,  which 
was  to  go  west  with  his  men  to  Lomamc,  then  by  his  aid  buy  a 
canoe  and  go  up  Lake  Lincoln  to  Katanga  and  the  fountains,  ex- 
amine the  inhabited  caves,  and  return  here,  if  he  would  let  his 
people  bring  me  goods  from  Ujiji.  He  again  referred  to  all  the 
people  being  poisoned  in  mind  against  me,  but  was  ready  to  do 
every  thing  in  his  power  for  my  success.  My  own  people  per- 
suaded the  Bagenya  not  to  sell  a  canoe.  Hassani  knows  it  all, 
but  swears  that  he  did  not  join  in  the  slander,  and  even  points 
up  to  heaven  in  attestation  of  innocence  of  all,  even  of  Manilla's 
foray.  Mohammedans  are  certainly  famous  as  liars,  and  the  false- 
hood of  Mohammed  has  been  transmitted  to  his  followers  in  a 
measure  unknown  in  other  religions. 

Jul//  2d. — The  upper  stratum  of  clouds  is  from  the  north-west, 
the  lower  from  the  south-east :  when  they  mix  or  change  places 
the  temperature  is  much  lowered,  and  fever  ensues.  The  air  evi- 
dently comes  from  the  Atlantic,  over  the  low,  swampy  lands  of 
the  West  Coast  Morning  fogs  show  that  the  river  is  warmer 
tiian-the  air. 

Jul//  4/A. — Hassani  off  down  river,  in  high  dudgeon  at  the  cow- 
ards who  turned  after  reaching  the  ivory  country.  He  leaves 
them  here  and  goes  himself,  entirely  on  land.  I  gave  him  hints 
to  report  himself  and  me  to  Baker,  should  he  meet  any  of  his 
head  men. 

Jul//  bth. — The  river  has  fallen  three  feet  in  all,  that  i.«!,  one 
foot  since  June  27th. 


THE  DOCTOR  EXPLAINS. 


381 


I  offer  Dugumb^  $2000,  or  £400,  for  ten  men  to  replace  the 
Banian  slaves,  and  enable  me  to  go  up  the  Lomame  to  Katanga 
and  the  under-ground  dwellings,  then  return  and  go  up  bj  Tan- 
ganyika to  Ujiji ;  and  I  added  that  I  would  give  all  the  goods  I 
had  at  Ujiji  besides.  He  took  a  few  days  to  consult  with  his  as- 
sociates. 

July  6ih. — Mokandira  and  other  head  men  came,  with  a  pres- 
ent of  a  pig  and  a  goat,  on  my  being  about  to  depart  west  I 
refused  to  receive  them  till  my  return,  and  protested  against  the 
slander  of  my  wishing  to  kill  people,  which  they  all  knew,  but 
did  not  report  to  me.  This  refusal  and  protest  will  ring  all  over 
the  country. 

July  7th. — I  was  annoyed  by  a  woman  frequently  beating  a 
slave  near  my  house,  but  on  my  reproving  her  she  came  and 
apologized.  I  told  her  to  speak  softly  to  her  slave,  as  she  was 
now  the  only  mother  the  girl  had.  The  slave  came  from  beyond 
Lomame,  and  was  evidently  a  lady  in  her  own  land  :  she  calls  her 
son  Mologwe,  or  chief,  because  his  father  was  a  head  man. 

Dugumbe  advised  my  explaining  my  plan  of  procedure  to  the 
slaves,  and  he  evidently  thinks  that  1  wish  to  carry  it  toward 
them  with  a  high  hand.  I  did  explain  all  the  exploration  I  in- 
tended to  do:,  for  instance,  the  fountains  of  Herodotus — beyond 
Katanga — Katanga  itself,  and  the  under-ground  dwellings,  and 
then  return.  They  made  no  remarks,  for  they  are  evidently 
pleased  to  have  me  knuckling  down  to  them  :  when  pressed  on 
the  point  of  proceeding,  they  say  they  will  only  go  with  Dugum- 
bd's  men  to  the  Lomame,  and  then  return.  River  fallen  three 
inches  since  the  5th. 

July  lOih.  —  Manyucma  children  do  not  creep,  as  European 
children  do,  on  their  knees,  but  begin  by  putting  forward  one 
foot  and  using  one  knee.  Generally  a  Manyucma  child  uses 
both  feet  and  both  hands,  but  never  both  knees :  one  Arab  child 
did  the  same;  he  never  crept,  but  got  up  on  both  feet,  holding  on 
till  he  could  walk. 

New  moon  last  night  of  the  seventh  Arab  month. 

July,  11th. — I  bought  the  different  species  of  fish  brought  to 
market,  in  order  to  sketch  eight  of  them,  and  compare  them  with 
those  of  the  Nile  lower  down :  most  are  the  same  as  in  Nyassa. 
A  very  active  species  of  Glanis,  of  dark  olive-brown,  was  not 
sketched ;  but  a  spotted  one,  armed  with  offensive  spikes  in  the 
dorsal  and  pectoral  fins,  was  taken.  Sesamum-secd  is  abundant 
just  now,  and  cakes  are  made  of  ground-nuts,  as  on  the  West 
Coast    Dugumbe  s  horde  tried  to  deal  in  the  market  in  a  domi- 


382 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUMNALS. 


neering  way.  "I  shall  buy  that,"  said  one.  "These  are  mine," 
said  another ;  "  no  one  must  touch  them  but  me ;"  but  the  mark- 
et-women taught  them  that  they  could  not  monopolize,  but  deal 
fairly.  They  are  certainly  clever  traders,  and  keep  each  other 
in  countenance ;  they  stand  by  each  other,  and  will  not  allow 
overreaching,  and  they  give  food  astonishingly  cheap  :  once  in 
the  market,  they  have  no  fear. 

Jul//  12th,  13th. — The  Banian  slaves  declared  before  Dugumbe 
that  they  would  go  to  the  Eiver  Lomame,  but  no  farther:  he 
spoke  long  to  them,  but  they  will  not  consent  to  go  farther. 
When  told  that  they  would  thereby  lose  all  their  pa}^,  they  re- 
plied, "Yes,  but  not  our  lives;"  and  they  walked  off  from  him 
muttering,  which  is  insulting  to  one  of  his  rank.  I  then  added, 
"I  have  goods  at  Ujiji;  I  don't  know  how  many,  but  they  are 
considerable;  take  them  all,  and  give  me  men  t6  finish  my  work; 
if  not  enough,  I  will  add  to  them;  only  do  not- let  me  be  forced 
to  return,  now  I  am  so  near  the  end  of  my  undertaking."  He 
said  he  would  make  a  plan  in  conjunction  with  his  associates, 
and  report  to  me. 

Jul//  14Lth. — I  am  distressed  and  perplexed  what  to  do  so  as  not 
to  be  foiled,  but  all  seems  against  me. 

July  15th. — The  reports  of  guns  on  the  other  side  of  the  Luala- 
ba  all  the  morning  tell  of  the  people  of  Dugumbe  murdering  those 
of  Kimburu  and  others  who  mixed  blood  with  Manilla.  "Manil- 
la is  a  slave,  and  how  dares  he  to  mix  blood  with  chiefs  who  ought 
only  to  make  friends  with  free  men  like  us?" — this  is  their  com- 
plaint. Kimburu  gave  Manilla  three  slaves,  and  he  sacked  ten 
villages  in  token  of  friendship :  he  proposed  to  give  Dugumbe 
nine  slaves  in  the  same  operation,  but  Dugumbe's  people  destroy 
his  villages,  and  shoot  and  make  his  people  captives,  to  punisli 
Manilla  ;  to  make  an  impression,  in  fact,  in  the  country  that  they 
alone  are  to  be  dealt  with — "  make  friends  with  us,  and  not  with 
Manilla,  or  any  one  else" — such  is  what  they  insist  upon. 

About  one  thousand  five  hundred  people  came  to  market, 
though  many  villages  of  those  that  usually  come  from  the  other 
side  were  now  in  flames,  and  every  now  and  then  a  number  of 
shots  were  fired  on  the  fugitives. 

It  was  a  hot,  sultry  day,  and  when  I  went  into  the  market  I 
saw  Adie  and  Manilla,  and  three  of  the  men  who  had  lately  come 
with  Duguinbd.  I  was  surprised  to  see  these  three  with  their 
guns,  and  felt  inclined  to  reprove  them,  as  one  of  my  men  did, 
for  bringing  weapons  into  the  market,  but  I  attributed  it  to  their 
ignorance;  and,  it  being  very  hot,  I  was  walking  away  to  go  out 


FIENDISH  MASSACRE. 


383 


of  the  market,  when  I  saw  one  of  the  fellows  haggling  about  a 
fowl,  and  seizing  hold  of  it.  Before  I  had  got  thirty  yards  out, 
the  discharge  of  two  guns  in  the  middle  of  the  crowd  told  me 
that  slaughter  had  begun  :  crowds  dashed  off  from  the  place,  and 
threw  down  their  wares  in  confusion,  and  ran.  At  the  same 
time  that  the  three  opened  fire  on  the  mass  of  people  near  the 
upper  end  of  the  market-place,  volleys  were  discharged  from  a 
party  down  near  the  creek  on  the  panic-stricken  women,  who 
dashed  at  the  canoes.  These,  some  fifty  or  more,  were  jammed  in 
the  creek,  and  the  men  forgot  their  paddles  in  the  terror  that 
seized  all.  The  canoes  were  not  to  be  got  out,  for  the  creek  was 
too  small  for  so  many :  men  and  women,  wounded  by  the  balls, 
poured  into  them,  and  leaped  and  scrambled  into  the  water, 
shrieking.  A  long  line  of  heads  in  the  river  showed  that  great 
numbers  struck  out  for  an  island  a  full  mile  off:  in  going  toward 
it,  they  had  to  put  the  left  shoulder  to  a  current  of  about  two 
miles  an  hour:  if  they  had  struck  away  diagonally  to  the  oppo- 
site bank,  the  current  would  have  aided  them,  and,  though  near- 
ly three  miles  off,  some  would  have  gained  land;  as  it  was,  the 
heads  above  water  showed  the  long  line  of  those  that  would  in- 
evitably perish. 

Shot  after  shot  continued  to  be  fired  on  the  helpless  and  perish- 
ing. Some  of  the  long  line  of  heads  disappeared  quietly  ;  while 
othfer  poor  creatures  threw  their  arms  high,  as  if  appealing  to  the 
great  Father  above,  and  sank.  One  canoe  took  in  as  many  as  it 
could  hold,  and  all  paddled  with  hands  and  arms:  three  canoes, 
got  out  in  haste,  picked  up  sinking  friends,  till  all  went  down 
together  and  disappeared.  One  man  in  a  long  canoe,  which  could 
have  held  forty  or  fifty,  had  clearly  lost  his  head ;  he  had  been 
out  in  the  stream  before  the  massacre  began,  and  now  paddled  up 
the  river  nowhere,  and  never  looked  to  the  drowning.  By-and- 
by  all  the  heads  disappeared :  some  had  turned  down  stream 
toward  the  bank,  and  escaped.  Dugumb(3  put  people  into  one  of 
the  deserted  ves.sels  to  save  those  in  the  water,  and  saved  twenty- 
one;  but  one  woman  refused  to  be  taken  on  board  from  thinking 
that  she  was  to  be  made  a  slave  of :  she  preferred  the  chance  of 
life  by  swimming  to  the  lot  of  a  slave.  The  Bagenya  women 
are  expert  in  the  water,  as  they  are  accustomed  to  dive  for  oys- 
ters, and  tiiosc  who  went  down  stream  may  have  escaped ;  but 
the  Arabs  themselves  estimated  the  loss  of  life  at  between  three 
hundred  and  thirty  and  four  hundred  souls.  The  shooting-party 
near  the  canoes  were  so  reckless  they  killed  two  of  their  own 
people  ;  and  a  Banyamwczi  follower,  who  got  into  a  deserted 


384 


LIFIXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


canoe  lo  plunder,  fell  into  the  water,  went  down,  then  came  up 
again,  and  down  to  rise  no  more. 

My  first  impulse  was  to  pistol  the  murderers,  but  Dugumb^ 
protested  against  my  getting  into  a  blood-feud,  and  I  was  thank- 
ful afterward  that  I  took  his  advice.  Two  wretched  Moslems 
asserted  "  that  the  firing  was  done  by  the  people  of  the  English." 
I  asked  one  of  them  why  he  lied  so,  and  he  could  utter  no  ex- 
cuse; no  other  falsehood  came  to  his  aid  as  he  stood  abashed  be- 
fore me  ;  and  so  telling  him  not  to  tell  palpable  falsehoods,  I  left 
him  gaping. 

After  the  terrible  affair  in  the  water,  the  party  of  Tagamoio, 
who  was  the  chief  perpetrator,  continued  to  fire  on  the  people 
there  and  fire  their  villages.  As  I  write,  I  hear  the  loud  wails 
on  the  left  bank  over  those  who  are  there  slain,  ignorant  of  their 
many  friends  now  in  the  depths  of  Lualaba.  'Oh,  let  Thy  king- 
dom come  !  No  one  will  ever  know  the  exact  loss  on  this  bright 
sultry  summer  morning:  it  gave  me  the  impression  of  being  in 
hell.  All  the  slaves  in  the  camp  rushed  at  the  fugitives  on  land 
and  plundered  them:  women  were  for  hours  collecting  and  car- 
rying loads  of  what  had  been  thrown  down  in  terror. 

Some  escaped  to  me,  and  were  protected :  Dugumbe  saved 
twenty-one,  and  of  his  own  accord  liberated  them:  they  were 
brought  to  me,  and  remained  overnight  near  my  house.  One 
woman  of  the  saved  had  a  musket-ball  through  the  thigh,  another 
in  the  arm.  I  sent  men  with  our  flag  to  save  some,  for  without 
a  flag  they  might  have  been  victims,  for  Tagamoio's  people  were 
shooting  right  and  left  like  fiends.  I  counted  twelve  villages 
burning  this  morning.  I  asked  the  question  of  Dugumbe  and 
others,  "Now,  for  what  is  all  this  murder?"  All  blamed  Manilla 
as  its  cause,  and  in  one  sense  he  was  the  cause;  but  it  is  hardly 
credible  that  they  repeat  it  is  in  order  to  be  avenged  on  J\[anilla 
for  making  friends  with  head  men,  he  being  a  slave.  I  can  not 
believe  it  full}''.  The  wish  to  make  an  impression  in  the  country 
as  to  the  importance  and  greatness  of  the  new-comers  was  tho 
most  potent  motive;  but  it  was  terrible  that  the  murdering  of  so 
many  should  be  contemplated  at  all.  It  made  mc  sick  at  heart 
Who  could  accompany  the  people  of  Dugumbe  and  Tagamoio 
to  Lomamd,  and  be  free  from  blood-guiltiness? 

I  proposed  to  Dugumbe  to  catch  the  murderers,  and  hang 
them  up  in  the  market-place,  as  our  protest  against  the  bloody 
deeds  before  the  Manyuema.  If,  as  he  and  others  added,  the 
massacre  was  committed  by  Manilla's  people,  he  would  have  con- 
sented ;  but  it  was  done  by  Tagamoio's  people,  and  others  of  this 


CAPTIVES  RESTORED. 


385 


party,  headed  by  Dugumbd  This  slaughter  was  peculiarly  atro- 
cious, inasmuch  as  we  have  alv/ays  heard  that  women  coming 
to  or  from  market  have  never  been  known  to  be  molested :  even 
when  two  districts  are  engaged  in  actual  hostilities,  "  the  women," 
say  they,  "pass  among  us  to  market  unmolested,"  nor  has  one 
over  been  known  to  be  plundered  by  the  men.  These  nigger 
Moslems  are  inferior  to  the  Manyuema  in  justice  and  right.  The 
people  under  Hassani  began  the  superwickedness  of  capture  and 
pillage  of  all  indiscriminately.  Dugumbe  promised  to  send  over 
men  to  order  Tagamoio's  men  to  cease  firing  and  burning  vil- 
lages; they  remained  over  among  the  ruins,  feasting  on  goats 
and  fowls  all  night,  and  next  day  (16th)  continued  their  infa- 
mous work  till  twenty-seven  villages  were  destroyed. 

July  IQth. — I  restored  upward  of  thirty  of  the  rescued  to  their 
friends:  Dugumbe  seemed  to  act  in  good  faith,  and  kept  none 
of  them;  it  was  his  own  free-will  that  guided  him.  Women  are 
delivered  to  their  husbands,  and  about  thirty-three  canoes  left  in 
the  creek  are  to  be  kept  for  the  owners  too. 

12  A.M. — Shooting  still  going  on  on  the  other  side,  and  many 
captives  caught.  At  1  P.M.  Tagamoio's  people  began  to  cross 
over  in  canoes,  beating  their  drums,  firing  their  guns,  and  shout- 
ing, as  if  to  say,  "See  the  conquering  heroes  come;"  they  are 
answered  by  the  women  of  Dugumbc's  camp  luUilooing,  and 
friends  then  fire  off  their  guns  in  joy.  I  count  seventeen  vil- 
lages in  flames,  and  the  smoke  goes  straight  up  and  forms  clouds 
at  the  top  of  the  pillar,  showihg  great  heat  evolved,  for  the 
houses  are  full  of  carefully -prepared  fire -wood.  Dugumbd  de- 
nies having  sent'  Tagamoio  on  this  foray,  and  Tagamoio  repeats 
that  he  went  to  punish  the  friends  made  by  Manilla,  who,  being 
a  slave,  had  no  right  to  make  war  and  burn  villages;  that  could 
only  be  done  by  free  men.  Manilla  confesses  to  me  privately 
that  he  did  wrong  in  that,  and  loses  all  his  beads  and  many 
friends  in  consequence. 

2  P.M. — An  old  man,  called  Kabobo,  came  for  his  old  wife.  I 
asked  her  if  this  were  her  husband:  she  went  to  him,  and  put 
her  arm  lovingly  around  him,  and  said  "Yes."  .1  gave  her  five 
strings  of  beads  t6  buy  food,  all  her  stores  being  destroyed  with 
her  house.  She  bowed  down,  and  put  her  forehead  to  the  ground 
as  thanks,  and  old  Kabobo  did  the  same:  the  tears  stood  in  her 
eyes  as  she  went  ofi".  Tagamoio  caught  .seventeen  Women,  and 
other  Arabs  of  his  party,  twenty-seven  ;  dead  by  gun-shot,  twen- 
ty-five. Tiie  heads  of  two  head  men  were  brought  over  to  be  re- 
deemed by  their  friends  with  slaves. 


386 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


3  P.M. — Many  of  the  head  men  who  have  been  burned  out  by 
the  foray  came  over  to  me,  and  begged  me  to  come  back  with 
them,  and  appoint  new  localities  for  them  to  settle  in  again ;  but 
I  told  them  that  I  was  so  ashamed  of  the  company  in  which  I 
found  myself,  that  I  could  scarcely  look  the  Manyuema  in  the 
face.  They  had  believed  that  I  wished  to  kill  them — what  did 
they  think  now?  I  could  not  remain  among  bloody  compan- 
ions, and  would  flee  away,  I  said ;  but  they  begged  me  hard  not 
to  leave  until  they  were  again  settled. 

The  open  murder  perpetrated  on  hundreds  of  unsuspecting 
women  fills  me  with  unspeakable  horror.  I  can  not  think  of  go- 
ing anywhere  with  the  Tagamoio  crew.  I  must  either  go  down 
or  up  Lualaba,  whichever  the  Banian  slaves  choose. 

4  P.M. — Dugumbe  saw' that  by  killing  the  market-people  he 
had  committed  a  great  error,  and  speedily  got  the  chiefs  who 
had  come  over  to  me  to  meet  him  at  his  house  and  forthwith 
mix  blood:  they  were  in  bad  case.  I  could  not  remain  to  see 
to  their  protection  ;  and  Dugumbe  being  the  best  of  the  wiiole 
horde,  I  advised  them  to  make  friends,  and  then  appeal  to  him 
as  able  to  restrain  to  some  extent  his  infamous  underlings.  One 
chief  asked  to  have  his  wife  and  daughter  restored  to  him  first, 
but  generally  they  were  cowed,  and  the  fear  of  death  was  on 
them.  Dugumbe  said  to  me,  "I  shall  do  my  utmost  to  get  all 
the  captives;  but  he  must  make  friends  now,  in  order  that  the 
market  may  not  be  given  up."  Blood  was  m.ixed,  and  an  essen- 
tial condition  was,  "You  must  give  us  chitoka,"  or  market.  He 
and  most  others  saw  that  in  theoretically  punishing  Manilla  they 
had  slaughtered  the  very  best  friends  that  strangers  had.  The 
Banian  slaves  openly  declare  that  they  will  go  only  to  Lomame, 
and  no  farther.  Whatever  the  Ujijian  slavers  may  pretend,  they 
all  hate  to  have  me  as  a  witness  of  their  cold-blooded  atrocities. 
The  Banian  slaves  would  like  to  go  with  Tagamoio,  and  share  in 
his  rapine  and  get  slaves.  I  tried  to  go  down  Lualaba,  then  up 
it,  and  west,  but  with  blood-hounds  it  is  out  of  the  question.  I 
see  nothing  for  it  but  to  go  back  to  Ujiji  for  other  men,  though 
it  will  throw  me  out  of  the  chance  of  discovering  the  fourth  great 
lake  in  the  Lualaba  line  of  drainage,  and  other  things  of  great 
value. 

At  last  I  said  that  I  would  start  for  Ujiji  in  three  days  on  foot. 
I  wished  to  speak  to  Tagamoio  about  the  captive  relations  of  the 
chiefs,  but  he  always  ran  away  when  he  saw  me  coming. 

July  11  ih.  —  All  the  rest  of  Dugumbe's  party  olVcrcd  me  a 
share  of  every  kind  of  goods  they  had,  and  pressed  me  not  to  be 


AGOXY  OF  MIXD. 


387 


ashamed  to  tell  them  what  I  needed.  I  declined  every  thing 
save  a  little  gunpowder;  but  they  all  made  presents  of  beads, 
and  I  was  glad  to  return  equivalents  in  cloth.  It  is  a  sore  afflic- 
tion, at  least  forty-five  days  in  a  straight  line  —  equal  to  three 
hundred  miles,  or,  by  the  turnings  and  windings,  six  hundred 
English  miles,  and  all  after  feeding  and  clothing  the  Banian 
slaves  for  twenty-one  months !  But  it  is  for  the  best,  though ; 
if  I  do  not  trust  to  the  riff-raff  of  Ujiji,  I  must  wait  for  other  men 
at  least  ten  months  there.  With  help  from  above,  I  shall  yet  go 
through  Rua,  see  the  under-ground  excavations  first,  then  on  to 
Katanga,  and  the  four  ancient  fountains  eight  days  beyond,  and 
after  that  Lake  Lincoln. 

July  18th. — The  murderous  assault  on  the  market-people  felt 
to  me  like  Gehenna,  without  the  fire  and  brimstone  ;  but  the  heat 
was  oppressive,  and  the  fire-arms  pouring  their  iron  bullets  on  the 
fugitives  was  not  an  inapt  representation  of  burning  in  the  bot- 
tomless pit. 

The  terrible  scenes  of  man's  inhumanity  to  man  brought  on 
severe  headache,  which  might  have  been  serious  had  it  not  been 
relieved  by  a  copious  discharge  of  blood.  I  was  laid  np  all  yes- 
terday afternoon  with  the  depression  the  bloodshed  made — it  fill- 
ed me  with  unspeakable  horror.  "  Don't  go  away,"  say  the  Man- 
yuema  chiefs  to  me  ;  but  I  can  not  stay  here  in  agony. 

Julij  I9(h. — Dugumbc  sent  me  a  fine  goat,  a  maneh  of  gun- 
powder, a  maneh  of  fine  blue  beads,  and  two  hundred  and  thirty 
cowries,  to  buy  provisions  in  the  way.  I  proposed  to  leave  a 
doti  Merikano  and  one  of  Kanike,  to  buy  specimens  of  workman- 
ship, lie  sent  me  two  very  fine  large  Manyuema  swords,  and 
two  equally  fine  spears,  and  said  that  I  must  not  leave  any  thing: 
he  would  buy  others  with  his  own  goods,  and  divide  them  equal- 
ly with  me:  he  is  very  friendly. 

River  fallen  four  feet  and  a  half  since  the  5th  ult. 

A  few  market-people  appear  to-day;  formerly  they  came  in 
crowds:  a  very  few  from  the  west  bank  bring  salt  to  buy  back 
the  baskets  from  the  camp  slaves,  which  they  threw,  away  in  pan- 
ic; others  carried  a  little  food  for  sale,  about  two  hundred  in  all 
— chiefly  those  who  have  not  lost  relatives  :  one  very  beautiful 
woman  had  a  gun-shot  wound  in  her  upper  arm  tied  round  with 
leaves.  Seven  canoes  came  instead  of  fifty  ;  but  they  have  great 
V|  tenacity  and  hopefulness :  an  old  established  custom  has  great 
charms  for  them,  and  the  market  will  again  be  attended  if  no 
fresh  outrage  is  committed.  No  canoes  now  come  into  the  creek 
of  death,  but  land  above,  at  Ntambwc's  village  :  this  creek,  at  the 

I 


388 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


bottom  of  the  long,  gentle  slope  on  which  the  market  was  held, 
probably  led  to  its  selection. 

A  young  Manyuema  man  worked  for  one  of  Dugumbe's  peo- 
ple preparing  a  space  to  build  on :  when  tired,  he  refused  to  com- 
mence to  dig  a  pit,  and  was  struck  on  the  loins  with  an  axe,  and 
soon  died.  He  was  drawn  out  of  the  way,  and  his  relations 
came,  wailed  over  him,  and  buried  him.  They  are  too  m.uch  awed 
to  complain  to  Dugumbe! 


LEAVES  FOR  UJIJI. 


389 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Leaves  for  Ujiji. — Dangerous  Journey  tlirough  Forest. — The  Manyuema  understanil 
Livingstone's  Kindness. — Zanzibar  Slaves. — Kasonga's. — Stalactite  Caves. — Con- 
se(iiiences  of  eating  Parrots. — 111. — Attacked  in  the  Forest. — Providential  Deliv- 
erance.— Another  extraordinary  Escape. — Taken  for  Mohamad  Bogharib. — Run- 
ning the  Gauntlet  for  five  Hours. — Loss  of  Property. — Reaches  Place  of  Safety. — 
111. — Mamohela. — To  the  Luamo. — Severe  Disappointment. — Recovers. — Severe 
Marcliing. — Readies  Ujiji. — Despondency. — Opportune  Arrival  of  Mr.  Stanley. — 
Joy  and  Thankfulness  of  the  old  Traveler. — Determines  to  examine  north  End  of 
Lake  Tanganyika. — They  start. — Reach  the  Lusizc. — No  Outlet.— "  Theoretical 
Discovery"  of  the  real  Outlet. — Mr.  Stanley  ill. — Returns  to  Ujiji. — Leaves  Stores 
there. — Departure  for  Unyaiiyembe  with  Mr.  Stanley. — Abundance  of  Game. — 
Attacked  by  Bees. — Serious  Illness  of  Mr.  Stanley. — Thankfulness  at  reaching  Un- 
yanyembe. 

July  20th,  1871. — I  START  baclc-for  Ujiji.  All  Dugumbe's  peo- 
ple came  to  say  good-bye,  and  convoy  me  a  little  way.  I  made 
a  short  marcli,  for,  being  long  inactive,  it  is  unwise  to  tire  one's 
self  on  the  first  day,  as  it  is  then  difficult  to  get  over  the  effects. 

July  21sL — One  of  the  slaves  was  sick,  and  the  rest  falsely  re- 
ported him  to  be  seriously  ill,  to  give  them  time  to  negotiate  for 
women  with  whom  they  had  cohabited.  Dugiimbe  saw  through 
the  fraud,  and  said,  "Leave  him  to  me:  if  he  lives,  I  will  feed 
him ;  if  he  dies,  we  will  bury  him  :  do  not  delay  for  any  one,  but 
travel  in  a  compact  body,  as  stragglers  now  are  sure  to  be  cut 
olf."  He  lost  a  woman  of  his  party,  who  lagged  behind,  and  sev- 
en others  were  killed  besides,  and  the  forest  hid  the  murderers.  I 
was  only  too  anxious  to  get  away  quickly,  and  on  the  22d  started 
off  at  daylight,  atid  went  about  six  miles  to  the  village  of  Mnnk- 
wara,  where  I  spent  the  night  when  coming  this  way.  The  chief 
Mokandira  convoyed  us  hither :  I  promised  him  a  cloth  if  I  came 
across  from  Loiname.  He  wonders  much  at  the  under -ground 
houses,  and  never  heard  of  them  till  I  told  him  about  them. 
Many  pf  the  gullies  which  were  running  fast  when  we  came  were 
DOW  dry.    Thunder  began,  and  a  few  drops  of  rain  fell. 

July  23d,  24///. — We  crossed  the  River  Kunda,  of  fifty  yards, 
in  two  canoes,  and  then  ascended  from  the  valley  of  denudation, 
in  which  it  flows  to  the  ridge  Lobango.  Crowds  followed,  all 
anxious  to  carry  loads  for  a  few  beads.  Several  market-people 
came  to  salute,  who  knew  that  we  had  no  Iiand  in  the  ma.s.sacre, 
as  we  are  a  different  people  from  the  Arabs.    In  going  and  com- 


390 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


iiig,  they  must  have  a  march  of  twenty-five  miles,  with  loads  so 
heav-^y  no  slave  would  carry  them.  They  speak  of  us  as  "  good  :" 
the  anthropologists  thiuk  that  to  be  spoken  of  as  wicked  is  better. 
Ezekiel  says  that  the  Most  High  put  His  comeliness  upon  Jerusa- 
lem: if  He  does  not  impart  of  His  goodness  to  me,  I  shall  never 
be  good  :  if  He  does  not  put  of  His  comeliness  on  me,  I  shall  nev- 
er be  comely  in  soul,  but  be  like  these  Arabs,  in  whom  Satan 
has  full  sway — the  god  of  this  world  having  blinded  their  eyes. 

July  2bth. — We  came  over  a  beautiful  country  yesterday,  a 
vast  hollow  of  denudation,  with  much  cultivation,  intersected  by 
a  ridge  some  three  hundred  feet  high,  on  which  the  villages  are 
built :  this  is  Lobango.  The  path  runs  along  the  top  of  the 
ridge,  and  we  see  the  fine  country  below  all  spread  out  with  dif- 
ferent shades  of  green,  as  on  a  map.  The  colors  show  the  shapes 
of  the  different  plantations  in  the  great  hollew  drained  by  the 
Kunda.  After  crossing  the  fast-flowing  Kahembai,  which  flows 
into  the  Kunda,  and  it  into  Lualaba,  we  rose  on  to  another  inter- 
secting ridge,  having  a  great  many  villages  burned  by  Matereka, 
or  Salem  Mokadam's  people,  since  we  passed  them  in  our  course 
north-west  They  had  slept  on  the  ridge  after  we  saw  them,  and 
next  morning,  in  sheer  wantonness,  fired  their  lodgings :  their 
slaves  had  evidently  carried  the  fire  along  from  their  lodgings, 
and  set  fire  to  houses  of  villages  in  their  route  as  a  sort  of  hor- 
rid Moslem  nigger  joke;  it  was  done  only  because  they  could  do 
it  without  danger  of  punishment:  it  was  such  fun  to  make  the 
Mashense,  as  they  call  all  natives,  houseless.  Men  are  worse  than 
beasts  of  prey,  if  indeed  it  is  lawful  to  call  Zanzibar  slaves  men. 
It  is  monstrous  injustice  to  compare  free  Africans  living  under 
their  own  chiefs  and  laws,  and  cultivating  their  own  free  lands, 
with  what  slaves  afterward  become  at  Zanzibar  and  elsewhere. 

Jtdy2Qlh. — Came  up  out  of  the  last  valley  of  denudation — that 
drained  by  Kahembai,  and  then  along  a  level  land  with  open  for- 
est. Four  men  passed  us  in  hot  haste,  to  announce  the  death  of 
a  woman  at  their  village  to  her  relations  living  at  another.  I 
heard  of  several  deatlis  lately  of  dysentery.  Pleurisy  is  com- 
mon, from  cold  winds  from  north-west.  Twenty-two  men,  with 
large,  square,  black  shields,  capable  of  completely  hiding  the 
whole  person,  came  next,  in  a  trot,  to  receive  the  body  of  their 
relative  and  all  her  gear,  to  carry  her  to  her  own  home  for  burial. 
About  twenty  women  followed  them,  and  the  men  waited  under 
the  trees  till  they  should  have  wound  the  body  up  and  wept 
over  her.  They  smeared  their  bodies  with  clay  and  their  faces 
with  soot    Reached  our  friend  Kama. 


DESERTED  VILLAGES. 


391 


July  lltli. — Left  Kama's  group  of  villages  and  went  through 
many  others  before  we  reached  Kasonga's,  and  were  welcomed 
by  all  the  Arabs  of  the  camp  at  this  place.  Bought  two  milch- 
goats  reasonably,  and  rest  over  Sunday. 

July  2^t}i,  29th. — They  asked  permission  to  send  a  party  with 
me  for  goods  to  Ujiji :  this  will  increase  our  numbers,  and  per- 
haps safety  too,  among  the  justly  irritated  people  between  this 
and  Bambarre.  All  are  enjoined  to  help  me,  and  of  course  I 
must  do  the  same  to  them.  It  is  colder  here  than  at  Nyangwd 
Kasonga  is  off  guiding  an  ivory  or  slaving  party,  and  doing  what 
business  he  can  on  his  own  account:  he  has  four  guns,  and  will 
be  the  first  to  maraud  on  his  own  account. 

Juhj  SOth.  —  They  send  thirty  tusks  to  Ujiji,  and  seventeen 
Manyuema  volunteers  to  carry  thither  and  back  :  these  are  the 
very  first  who  in  modern  times  have  ventured  fifty  miles  from 
the  place  of  their  birth.  I  came  only  three  miles  to  a  ridge  over- 
looking the  Eiver  Shokoye,  and  slept  at  a  village  on  a  hill  be- 
yond it. 

July  Slst. — Passed  through  the  defile  between  Mount  Kimazi 
and  Mount  Kijila.  Below  the  cave,  with  stalactite  pillar  in  its 
door,  a  fine  echo  answers  those  who  feel  inclined  to  shout  to  it. 
Come  to  Mangala's  numerous  villages,  and,  two  slaves  being  ill, 
rest  on  Wednesday. 

August  1st,  1871. — A  large  market  assembles  close  to  us. 

August  2d. — Left  Mangala's,  and  came  through  a  great  many 
villages,  all  deserted,  on  our  approach,  on  account  of  .the  ven- 
geance taken  by  Dugumbe's  party  for  the  murder  of  some  of  their 
people.  Kasonga's  men  appeared  eager  to  plunder  their  own 
countrymen  :  I  had  to  scold  and  threaten  them,  and  set  men  to 
watch  their  deeds.  Plantains  are  here  very  abundant,  good,  and 
cheap.  Came  to  Kittette,  and  lodge  in  a  village  of  Loembo. 
About  thirty  foundries  were  passed  :  they  are  very  high  in  the 
roof,  and  thatched  with  leaves,  from  which  the  sparks  roll  off  as 
sand  would.    Rain  runs  off  equally  well. 

August  3c^.— Three  slaves  escaped,  and,  not  to  abandon  ivory, 
we  wait  a  day.    Kasonga  came  up  and  filled  their  places. 

I  have  often  observed  effigies  of  men  made  of  wood  in  Man- 
yuema; some,  of  clay,  are  simply  cones,  with  a  small  hole  in  the 
top:  on  asking  about  them  here,  I  for  the  first  time  obtained  re- 
liable information.  They  arc  called  "Batliata''  (fathers  or  an- 
cients), and  the  name  of  each  is  carefully  preserved.  Tliose  here 
at  Kittette  were  evidently  the  names  of  cliiofs,  Molenda  being  the 
most  ancient,  while  Mbayo  Yaniba,  Kainoanga,  Kitambwc,  Non- 
27 


392 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


go,  Aulumba,  Yeng^  Yengd,  Siraba  Mayanga,  Loembwe  are  more 
recently  dead.  They  were  careful  to  have  the  exact  pronuncia- 
tion of  the  names.  The  old  men  told  me  that  on  certain  occa- 
sions they  oflfer  goat's  flesh  to  them:  men  eat  it,  and  allow  no 
young  person  or  women  to  partake.  The  flesh  of  the  parrot  is 
only  eaten  by  very  old  men.  They  say  that,  if  eaten  by  young 
men,  their  children  will  have  the  waddling  gait  of  the  bird. 
They  say  that  originally  those  who  preceded  Molenda  came  from 
Kongolakokwa,  which  convej's  no  idea  to  my  mind.  It  was  in- 
teresting to  get  even  this  little  bit  of  history  here.  (Nkoiigolorr 
Deity  ;  Nkoiigolokwa  as  the  Deity.) 

August  4:th.- — Came  through  miles  of  villages,  all  barned,  be- 
cause the  people  refused  a  certain  Abdullah  lodgings!  The  men 
had  begun  to  re-thatch  the  huts,  and  kept  out  of  our  way ;  but 
a  goat  was  speared  by  some  one  in  hiding,  and  we  knew  danger 
was  near.  Abdullah  admitted  that  he  had  no  other  reason  for 
burning  them  than  the  unwillingness  of  the  people  to  lodge  him 
and  his  slaves  without  payment,  with  the  certainty  of  getting  their 
food  stolen  and  utensils  destroyed. 

August  oth,  6(h. — Through  many  miles  of  palm-trees  and  plant- 
ains to  a  boma,  or  stockaded  village,  where  we  slept,  though  the 
people  were  evidently  suspicious  and  unfriendly. 

August  7th. — To  a  village,  ill,  and  almost  every  step  in  pain. 
The  people  all  ran  away,  and  appeared  in  the  distance  armed, 
and  refused  to  come  near ;  then  came  and  threw  stones  at  us,  and 
afterward  tried  to  kill  those  who  went  for  water.  We  sleep  un- 
comfortably, the  natives  watching  us  all  round.  Sent  men  to  see 
if  the  way  was  clear. 

August  8th. — They  would  come  to  no  parley.  They  knew  their 
advantage,  and  the  wrongs  they  had  suffered  from  Bin  Juma  and 
^lohamad's  men  when  they  threw  down  the  ivory  in  the  forest. 
In  passing  along  the  narrow  path,  with  a  wall  of  dense  vegetation 
touching  each  hand,  we  came  to  a  point  where  an  ambush  had 
been  placed,  and  trees  cut  down  to  obstruct  us  while  they  speared 
us ;  but  for  some  reason  it  was  abandoned.  Nothing  could  be 
detected;  but  by  stooping  down  to  the  earth  and  peering  up  to- 
ward the  sun,  a  dark  shade  could  sometimes  be  seen :  this  was 
an  infuriated  savage,  and  a  slight  rustle  in  the  dense  vegetation 
meant  a  spear.  A  large  spear  from  my  right  lunged  past,  and 
almost  grazed  my  back,  and  stuck  firmly  into  the  soil.  The  two 
men  from  whom  it  came  appeared  in  an  opening  in  the  forest 
only  ten  yards  off,  and  bolted,  one  looking  back  over  his  shoul- 
der as  he  ran.    As  they  are  expert  with  the  spear,  I  do  not  know 


NABROW  ESCAPES. 


393 


how  it  missed,  except  that  he  was  too  sure  of  bis  aim,  and  the 
good  hand  of  God  was  upon  me. 

I  was  behind  the  main  body,  and  all  were  allowed  to  pass  till 
I,  the  leader,  who  was  believed  to  be  Mohamad  Bogharib,  or 
Kolokolo  himself,  came  up  to  the  point  where  they  lay.  A  red 
jacket  they  had  formerly  seen  me  wearing  was  proof  to  them 
liiat  I  was  the  same  that  sent  Bin  Juma  to  kill  five  of  their  men, 
capture  eleven  women  and  children,  and  twenty-five  goats.  An- 
other spear  was  thrown  at  me  by  an  unseen  assailant,  and  it  miss- 
ed me  by  about  a  foot  in  front.  Guns  were  fired  into  the  dense 
mass  of  forest,  but  with  no  effect,  for  nothing  could  be  seen;  but 
we  heard  the  men  jeering  and  denouncing  us  close  by  :  two  of 
our  party  were  slain. 

Coming  to  a  part  of  the  forest  cleared  for  cultivation,  I  noticed 
a  gigantic  tree,  made  still  taller  by  growing  on  an  ant-hill  twenty 
feet  high  ;  it  had  fire  applied  near  its  roots:  I  heard  a  crack,  which 
told  that  the  fire  had  done  its  work,  but  felt  no  alarm  till  I  saw 
it  come  straight  toward  me.  I  ran  a  few  paces  back,  and  down  it 
came  to  the  ground  one  yard  behind  me,  and  breaking  into  several 
lengths,  it  covered  me  with  a  cloud  of  dust.  Ilad  the  branches 
not  previously  been  rotted  off,  I  could  scarcely  have  escaped. 

Three  times  in  one  day  was  I  delivered  from  impending  death. 

My  attendants,  who  were  scattered  in  all  directions,  came  run- 
ning back  to  me,  calling  out,  "Peace!  peace!  you  will  finish  all 
your  work  in  .spite  of  these  people,  and  in  spite  of  every  thing." 
Like  them,  I  took  it  as  an  omen  of  good  success  to  crown  me  yet, 
thanks  to  the  "Almighty  Preserver  of  men." 

We  had  five  hours  of  running  the  gauntlet,  waylaid  b\''  spear- 
men, who  all  felt  that  if  they  killed  me  they  would  be  revenging 
the  death  of  relations.  From  each  hole  in  the  tangled  mass  wc 
looked  for  a  spear,  and  each  moment  expected  to  hear  the  rustle 
which  told  of  deadly  weapons  hurled  at  us.  I  became  weary  with 
the  constant  strain  of  danger,  and — a.s,  I  suppose,  happens  with 
.soldiers  on  the  field  of  battle — not  courageous,  but  perfectly  in- 
different whether  I  were  killed  or  not. 

When  at  last  we  got  out  of  the  forest  and  crossed  tlie  Liya  on 
to  the  cleared  lands  near  the  villages  of  Monanbundvva,  we  lay 
down  to  rest,  and  .soon  saw  Muanampunda  coming,  walking  up 
in  a  stately  manner,  unarmed,  to  meet  us.  lie  had  heard  the 
vain  firing  of  my  men  into  the  bush,  and  came  to  ask  wliat  was 
the  matter.  I  explained  the  mistake  that  Afunangonga  liad  made 
in  supposing  that  I  was  Kolokolo,  the  decd.s  of  whose  men  he 
knew,  and  then  we  went  on  to  his  village  together. 


394 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


In  the  evening  he  sent  to  say  that  if  I  would  give  him  all  my 
people  who  had  guns,  he  would  call  his  people  together,  burn  off 
all  the  vegetation  they  could  fire,  and  punish  our  enemies,  bring- 
ing me  ten  goats  instead  of  the  three  milch-goats  I  had  lost.  I 
again  explained  that  the  attack  was  made  by  a  mistake  in  think- 
ing I  was  Mohamad  Bogharib,  and  that  I  had  no  wish  to  kill 
men :  to  join  in  his  old  feud  would  only  make  matters  worse. 
This  he  could  perfectly  understand. 

I  lost  all  my  remaining  calico,  a  telescope,  umbrella,  and  five 
spears,  by  one  of  the  slaves  throwing  down  the  load  and  taking 
up  his  own  bundle  of  country  cloth, 

Augxist ,^th. — Went  on  toward  Mamohela,  now  deserted  by  the 
Arabs.  Monanponda  convoyed  me  a  long  way,  and  at  one  spot, 
with  grass  all  trodden  down,  he  said,  "Here  we  killed  a  man  of 
Moezia  and  ate  his  body."  The  meat,  cut  up,  'had  been  seen  by 
Dugumbe. 

August  10th. — In  connection  with  this  affair,  the  party  that  came 
through  from  Mamalulu  found  that  a  great  fight  had  taken  place 
at  Muanampunda's,  and  they  saw  the  meat  cut  up  to  be  cooked 
with  bananas.  They  did  not  like  the  strangers  to  look  at  their 
meat,  but  said,  "Go  on,  and  let  our  feast  alone;"  they  did  not 
want  to  be  sneered  at.  The  same  Muanampunda  or  Monambonda 
told  me  frankly  that  they  ate  the  man  of  Moezia:  they  seem  to 
eat  their  foes  to  inspire  courage,  or  in  revenge.  One  point  is  very 
remarkable;  it  is  not  want  that  has  led  to  the  custom,  for  the 
country  is  full  of  food :  nobody  is  starved  of  farinaceous  food. 
They  have  maize,  dura,  pennisetum,  cassava,  and  sweet-potatoes, 
and  for  fatty  ingredients  of  diet,  the  palm-oil,  ground-nuts,  sesa- 
mum,  and  a  tree  whose  fruit  yields  a  fine  sweet  oil :  the  saccharine 
materials  needed  are  found  in  the  sugar-cane,  bananas,  and  plantains. 

Goats,  sheep,  fowls,  dogs,  pigs  abound  in  the  villages,  while 
the  forest  affords  elephants,  zebras,  buffaloes,  antelopes,  and  in 
the  streams  there  are  many  varieties  of  fish.  The  nitrogenous  in- 
gredients are  abundant,  and  they  have  dainties  in  palm-toddy,  and 
tobacco  or  bangd.  The  soil  is  so  fruitful  that  mere  scraping  off 
the  weeds  is  as  good  as  plowing;  so  that  the  reason  for  cannibal- 
ism does  not  lie  in  starvation  or  in  want  of  animal  matter,  as  was 
said  to  be  the  case  with  the  New  Zealanders.  The  only  feasible 
reason  I  can  discover  is  a  depraved  appetite,  giving  an  extraordi- 
nary craving  for  meat  which  we  call  "high."  They  are  said  to 
bury  a  dead  body  for  a  couple  of  days  in  the  soil  in  a  forest,  and 
in  that  time,  owing  to  the  climate,  it  soon  becomes  putrid  enough 
for  the  strongest  stomachs. 


CANNIBALS  BY  CHOICE. 


395 


The  Lualaba  has  many  oysters  in  it,  with  very  thick  shells. 
They  are  called  Makessi,  and  at  certain  seasons  are  dived  for  by 
the  Bagenya  women :  pearls  are  said  to  be  found  in  them,  but 
boring  to  string  them  has  never  been  thought  of  Kanone,  Ibis 
religiosa.     Uruko,  Kuss  name  of  coffee. 

The  Manyuema  are  so  afraid  of  guns  that  a  man  borrows  one 
to  settle  any  dispute  or  claim  :  he  goes  with  it  over  his  shoulder, 
and  quickly  arranges  the  matter  by  the  pressure  it  brings,  though 
they  all  know  that  he  could  not  use  it. 

Guln,  Deity  above,  or  heaven.  Mamvu,  earth  or  below.  Gulu 
is  a  person  ;  and  men,  on  death,  go  to  him.  Nkoba,  lightning. 
Nkongolo,  Deity  (?).  Kula  or  Nkula,  salt  spring  west  of  Nyang- 
we.  Kalunda,  ditto.  Kiria^  rapid  down  river.  Kirila,  islet  in 
sight  of  Nyangwe.    Alagoya^  ditto. 

Note. — The  chief  Zurampela  is  about  north-west  of  Nyangwd, 
and  three  days  off".  The  Luive  River,  of  very  red  water,  is  cross- 
ed, and  the  larger  Mabila  River  receives  it  into  its  very  dark 
water  before  Mabila  enters  Lualaba. 

A  ball  of  hair  rolled  in  the  stomach  of  a  lion,  as  calculi  are,  is 
a  great  charm  among  the  Arabs :  it  scares  away  other  animals, 
they  say. 

Lion's  fat  smeared  on  the  tails  of  oxen  taken  through  a  coun- 
try abounding  in  tsetse,  or  bungo,  is  a  sure  preventive.  When 
I  heard  of  this,  I  thought  that  lion's  fat  would  be  as  difficult  of 
collection  as  gnat's  brains  or  mosquito  tongues;  but  1  was  as- 
sured that  many  lions  are  killed  on  the  Basango  highland,  and 
they,  in  common  with  all  beasts  there,  are  extremely  fat :  so  it  is 
not  at  all  difficult  to  buy  a  calabash  of  the  preventive:  the  Ban- 
yamwezi,  desirous  of  taking  cattle  to  the  coast  for  sale,  know  the 
substance,  and  use  it  successfully  (?). 

Azignst  11th. — Came  on,  by  a  long  march  of  six  hours,  across 
plains  of  grass  and  water-courses,  lined  with  beautiful  trees,  to 
Kasses.sa's,  the  chief  of  Mamohela,  who  has  helped  the  Arabs  to 
scourge  several  of  his  countrymen  for  old  feuds.  He  gave  them 
goats,  and  then  guided  them  by  night  to  the  villages,  where  they 
got  more  goats  and  many  captives,  each  to  be  redeemed  with  ten 
goats  more.  During  tlie  last  foray,  however,  the  people  learned 
that  every  shot  docs  not  kill,  and  they  came  up  to  the  party  with 
bows  and  arrows,  and  compelled  the  slaves  to  throw  down  their 
guns  and  powder-horns.  They  would  have  shown  no  mercy  had 
Manyuema  boon  thus  in  slave  power;  but  this  is  a  beginning  of 
the  end,  which  will  exclude  Arab  traders  from  the  country.  I 
rested  half  a  day,  as  I  am  still  ill.    I  do  most  devoutly  thank  the 


396 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Lord  for  sparing  my  life  three  times  in  one  day.  The  Lord  is 
good,  a  stronghold  in  the  day  of  trouble,  and  he  knows  them 
that  trust  in  hira. 

[The  brevity  of  the  following  notes  is  fully  accounted  for: 
Livingstone  was  evidently  suffering  too  severely  to  write  more.] 

August  12th. — Mamohela  camp  all  burned  off.  We  sleep  at 
Mamohela  village. 

August  ISth. — At  a  village  on  the  bank  of  Eiver  Lolindi.  I 
am  suffering  greatly.  A  man  brought  a  young,  nearly  full- 
fledged  kite  from  a  nest  on  a  tree :  this  is  the  first  case  of  their 
breeding,  that  I  am  sure  of,  in  this  country :  they  are  migratory 
into  these  intertropical  lands  from  the  south  probably. 

August  l-it/i.  —  Across  many  brisk  burns  to  a  village  on  the 
side  of  a  mountain  range.  First  rains  12th  and44th,  gentle;  but 
near  Luamo  it  ran  on  the  paths,  and  caused  dew. 

August  15th. — To  Muanambon^'o's.  Golungo,  a  bush  buck, 
with  stripes  across  body,  and  two  rows  of  spots  along  the  sides  (?). 

August  16th. — To  Luamo  River.    Very  ill  with  bowels. 

August  17th. —  Cross  river,  and  sent  a  message  to  my  friend. 
Katomba  sent  a  bountiful  supply  of  food  back. 

August  18th. — Reached  Katomba,  at  Moenemgoi's,  and  was  wel- 
comed by  all  the  heavily-laden  Arab  traders.  They  carry  their 
trade  spoil  in  three  relays.  Kenyengere  attacked  before  I  came, 
and  one  hundred  and  fifty  captives  were  taken,  and  about  one 
hundred  slain  :  this  is  an  old  feud  of  Moenemgoi,  which  the  Arabs 
took  up  for  their  own  gain.  No  news  whatever  from  Ujiji,  and 
M.  Bogharib  is  still  at  Bambarre,  with  all  my  letters. 

August  19th,  20ih. — Rest  from  weakness. 

August  21st. — Up  to  the  palms  on  the  west  of  Mount  Kanyima 
Pass. 

August  22c?. — Bambarre. 

August  28th.  —  Better,  and  thankful.  Katomba's  party  has 
nearly  a  thousand  frasilahs  of  ivory,  and  Mohamad's  has  three 
hundred  frasilahs. 

August  29th. — 111  all  night,  and  remain. 

August  SOth. — Ditto,  ditto  ;  but  go  on  to  Moiiandenda's,  on  Riv- 
er Lombonda. 

August  31st. — Up  and  half  over  the  mountain  range. 

September  1*7, 1871. — Sleep  in  dense  forest,  with  several  fine  run- 
ning streams. 

September  2d. — Over  the  range,  and  down  on  to  a  marble-capped 
hill,  with  a  village  on  top. 


PAINFUL  PROGRESS. 


397 


September  3fZ.  — Equinoctial  gales.    On  to  Lohombo. 

September  5th. — To  Kasangangazi's. 

September  6th. — Rest. 

September  7th. — Mamba's.    Rest  on  8tb. 

September  9th. — Ditto,  ditto.  People  falsely  accused  of  stealing ; 
but  I  disproved  it,  to  the  confusion  of  the  Arabs,  who  wish  to  be 
able  to  say,  "  The  people  of  the  English  steal  too."  A  very  rough 
road  from  Kasangangazi's  hither,  and  several  running  rivulets 
crossed. 

September  10th. — Manyuema  boy  followed  us  :  but  I  insisted  on 
his  father's  consent,  which  was  freely  given  :  marching  proved 
too  hard  for  him,  however,  and  in  a  few  days  he  left. 

Down  into  the  valley  of  the  Kapemba,  through  beautiful  undu- 
lating country,  and  came  to  the  village  of  Amru  :  this  is  a  com- 
mon name,  and  is  used  as  "  man,"  or  "comrade,"  or  "  mate." 

September  llih. — Up  a  very  steep,  high  mountain  range,  Moloni 
or  Mononi,  and  down  to  a  village  at  the  bottom  on  the  other  side 
of  a  man  called  Molembu. 

September  12fh. — Two  men  sick.  Wait,  though  I  am  now  com- 
paratively sound  and  well.  Dura  flour,  which  we  can  now  pro- 
cure, helps  to  strengthen  me:  it  is  nearest  to  wheaten  flour: 
maize-meal  is  called  "cold,"  and  not  so  wholesome  as  the  Rolens 
sorghum,  or  dura.  A  lengthy  march  through  a  level  countrj^, 
with  high  mountain  ranges  on  each  hand;  along  that  on  the  left 
our  first  path  lay,  and  it  was  very  fatiguing.  We  came  to  the 
rivulet  Kalangai.  I  had  hinted  to  Mohamad  that  if  he  harbored 
my  deserters  it  might  go  hard  with  him ;  and  he  came  after  me 
for  two  marches,  and  begged  me  not  to  think  that  he  did  encour- 
age them.  They  came  impudently  into  the  vilhige,  and  I  had  to 
drive  them  out:  I  suspected  that  he  had  sent  them.  I  explained, 
and  he  gave  me  a  goat,  which  I  sent  back  for. 

•  September  I'Slh. — This  march  back  completely  used  up  the  Man- 
yuema boy  :  he  could  not  speak,  or  tell  what  he  wanted  cooked, 
when  he  arrived.  I  did  not  sec  him  go  back,  and  felt  sorry  for 
the  poor  boy,  who  left  us  by  night.  People  here  would  sell  noth- 
ing, so  I  was  glad  of  the  goat. 

September  14/A. — To  Pyanamosinde's. 

September  15th.  —  To  Karungamagao's ;  very  fine  undulating 
green  country. 

Stptember  IQlh,  llth. — Rest,  as  we  could  get  food  to  buy. 

September  18lh. — To  a  stockaded  village,  where  the  people  or- 
dered us  to  leave.  We  complied,  and  went  out  half  a  mile  and 
built  our  sheds  in  the  forest.    1  like  sheds  in  the  forest  much 


398 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


better  than  huts  in  the  villages,  for  we  have  no  mice  or  vermin, 
and  incur  no  obligation. 

September  19th. — Found  that  Barua  are  destroying  all  the  Man- 
yuema  villages  not  stockaded. 

September  2Qth. — We  came  to  Kunda's,  on  the  River  Katemba, 
through  great  plantations  of  cassava,  and  then  to  a  woman  chief's, 
and  now  regularly  built  our  own  huts  apart  from  the  villages, 
near  the  hot  fountain  called  Kabila,  which  is  about  blood-heat, 
and  flows  across  the  path.  Crossing  this,  we  came  to  Mokwani- 
wa's,  on  the  River  Gombeze,  and  met  a  caravan,  under  Nassur 
Masudi,  of  two  hundred  guns.  He  presented  a  fine  sheep,  and 
reported  that  Syed  Majid  was  dead :  he  had  been  ailing,  and  fell 
from  some  part  of  his  new  house  at  Darsalam,  and  in  three  days 
afterward  expired.  He  was  a  true  and  warm  friend  to  me,  "and 
did  all  he  could  to  aid  me  with  his  subjects,  giving  me  two  Sul- 
tan's letters  for  the  purpose.  Syed  Burghash  succeeds  him  :  this 
change  causes  anxiety.  Will  Syed  Burghash's  goodness  endure, 
now  that  he  has  the  sultanate?    Small-pox  raged  lately  at  Ujiji. 

Se])tember  22d. — Caravan  goes  northward,  and  we  rest,  and  eat 
the  sheep  kindly  presented. 

September  23d. — We  now  passed  through  the  country  of  mixed 
Barua  and  Baguha,  crossed  the  River  Longumba  twice,  and  then 
came  near  the  great  mountain  mass  on  the  west  of  Tanganyika. 
From  Mokwaniwa's  to  Tanganyika  is  about  ten  good  marches, 
through  open  forest.  The  Guha  people  are  not  very  friendly; 
they  know  strangers  too  well  to  show  kindness:  like  Manyuema, 
they  are  also  keen  traders.  I  was  sorely  knocked  up  by  this 
march  from  Nyangw(5  back  to  Ujiji.  In  the  latter  part  of  it,  I 
felt  as  if  dying  on  my  feet.  Almost  every  step  was  in  pain,  the 
appetite  failed,  and  a  little  bit  of  meat  caused  violent  diarrhea; 
while  the  mind,  sorely  depressed,  reacted  on  the  body.  All  the 
traders  were  returning  successful :  I  alone  had  failed,  and  experi- 
enced worry,  thwarting,  baffling,  when  almost  in  sight  of  the  end 
toward  which  I  strained. 

October  3d,  1871. — I  read  the  whole  Bible  through  four  times 
while  I  was  in  Manyuema. 

Ocluber  8th.- — The  road  covered  with  angular  fragments  of 
quartz  was  very  sore  to  my  feet,  which  are  crammed  into  ill-made 
French  shoes.  How  the  bare  feet  of  the  men  and  women  stood 
out  I  do  not  know;  it  was  hard  enough  on  mine,  though  protected 
by  the  shoes.  We  marched  in  the  afternoons  where  water  at  this 
season  was  scarce.  The  dust  of  the  march  caused  ophthalmia, 
like  that  which  afflicted  Speke:  this  was  my  first  touch  of  it  in 


DISAPPOINTMENT  AT  UJIJI. 


399 


Africa.  AVe  now  came  to  the  Lobumba  River,  which  flows  into 
Tanganyika,  and  then  to  the  village  Loanda,  and  sent  to  Kasan- 
ga,  the  Guha  chief,  for  canoes.  The  Longumba  rises,  like  the 
Lobumba,  in  the  mountains  called  Kabogo  West.  We  heard 
great  noises,  as  of  thunder,  as  far  as  twelve  days  oflF,  which  were 
ascribed  to  Kabogo,  as  if  it  had  subterranean  caves,  into  which 
the  waves  rushed  with  great  noise ;  and  it  may  be  that  the  Lon- 
gumba is  the  outlet  of  Tanganyika.  It  becomes  the  Luasse  far- 
ther down,  and  then  the  Luamo  before  it  joins  the  Lualaba.  The 
country  slopes  that  way,  but  I  was  too  ill  to  examine  its  source. 

October  9th. — On  to  the  islet  Kascngc.  After  much  delay,  got 
a  good  canoe  for  three  dotis,  and  on  the  15th  of  October  went  to 
the  islet  Kabiziwa. 

October  18th. — Start  for  Kabogo  East,  and  ou  the  19th  reach  it, 

8  A.M. 

October  20th. — Rest  men. 
October  22(^.— To  Rombola. 

October  23d. — At  dawn  off,  and  go  to  Ujiji.  Welcomed  by  all 
the  Arabs,  particularly  by  Moenyeghere.  I  was  now  reduced  to  a 
skeleton  ;  but  the  market  being  held  daily,  and  all  kinds  of  native 
food  brought  to  it,  I  hoped  that  food  and  rest  would  soon  restore 
me;  but  in  the  evening  my  people  came  and  told  me  that  She- 
reef  had  sold  off  all  my  goods,  and  Moenyeghere  confirmed  it  by 
saying,  '"We  protested,  but  he  did  not  leave  a  single  yard  of  cal- 
ico out  of  three  thousand,  nor  a  string  of  beads  out  of  seven  hun- 
dred pounds."  This  was  distressing.  I  had  made  up  my  mind, 
if  I  could  not  get  people  at  Ujiji,  to  wait  till  men  should  come 
from  the  coast;  but  to  wait  in  beggary  was  what  I  never  contem- 
plated, and  I  now  felt  miserable.  Shereef  was  evidently  a  moral 
idiot,  for  he  came  without  shame  to  shake  hands  with  me,  and 
when  I  refused  assumed  an  air  of  di.spleasure,  as  having  been 
badly  treated;  and  afterward  came  with  his  "Balghere"  (good- 
luck  salutation),  twice  a  day,  and,  on  leaving,  said,  "I  am  going  to 
pray,"  till  I  told  him  that,  were  I  an  Arab,  his  hand  and  both  ears 
would  be  cut  off  for  thieving,  as  he  knew,  and  I  wanted  no  salu- 
tations from  him.  In  my  distress  it  was  annoj-ing  to  .see  She- 
reef's  slaves  passing  from  tlie  market  with  all  the  good  things 
that  my  goods  had  bought. 

October  24/A. — My  {)ropcrty  had  been  sold  to  Shercef's  friends 
at  merely  nominal  prices.  Sycd  bin  Majid,  a  good  man,  proposed 
that  thoy  should  be  returned,  and  the  ivory  be  taken  from  She- 
reef;  but  they  would  not  restore  stol(>n  property,  though  they 
knew  it  to  be  stolen.    Ciiristians  would  have  acted  differently, 


400 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


even  those  of  the  lowest  classes.  I  felt,  in  my  destitution,  as  if  I 
were  the  man  who  went  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho,  and 
fell  among  thieves;  but  I  could  not  hope  for  priest,  Levite,  or 
good  Samaritan  to  come  by  on  either  side;  but  one  morning  Syed 
bin  Majid  said  to  me,  "Now  this  is  the  first  time  we  have  been 
alone  together ;  I  have  no  goods,  but  I  have  ivory  ;  let  me,  I 
pray  you,  sell  some  ivory,  and  give  the  goods  to  you."  This  was 
encouraging;  but  I  said,  "Not  yet,  but  by-and-by."  I  had  still 
a  few  barter  goods  left,  which  I  had  taken  the  precaution  to  de- 
posit with  Mohamad  bin  Saleh  before  going  to  Manyuema,  in 
case  of  returning  in  extreme  need.  But  when  my  spirits  were 
at  their  lowest  ebb  the  good  Samaritan  was  close  at  hand,  for  one 
morning  Su.?i  came  running,  at  the  top  of  his  speed,  and  gasped 
out,  "An  Englishman!  I  see  him!''  and  off  he  darted  to  meet 
him.  The  American  flag  at  the  head  of  a  cafavan  told  of  the 
nationality  of  the  stranger.  Bales  of  goods,  baths  of  tin,  huge 
kettles,  cooking-pots,  tents,  etc.,  made  me  think,  "This  must  be  a 
luxurious  traveler,  and  not  one  at  his  wits'  end  like  me." 

October  28th. — It  was  Henry  Moreland  Stanley,  the  traveling 
correspondent  of  the  Neiv  York  Herald,  sent  by  James  Gordon 
Bennett,  junior,  at  an  expense  of  more  than  £4000,  to  obtain  ac- 
curate information  about  Dr.  Livingstone  if  living,  and  if  dead,  to 
bring  home  my  bones.  The  news  he  had  to  tell  to  one  who  had 
been  two  full  years  without  any  tidings  from  Europe  made  my 
whole  frame  thrill.  The  terrible  fate  that  had  befallen  France — 
the  telegraphic  cables  successfully  laid  in  the  Atlantic — the  elec- 
tion of  General  Grant — the  death  of  good  Lord  Clarendon,  my  con- 
stant friend  —  the  proof  that  Her  Majesty's  Government  had  not 
forgotten  me  in  voting  £1000  for  supplies,  and  many  other  points 
of  interest,  revived  emotions  that  had  lain  dormant  in  Manyuema. 
Appetite  returned;  and  instead  of  the  spare,  tasteless  two  meals 
a  day,  I  ate  four  times  daily,  and  in  a  week  began  to  feel  strong. 
I  am  not  of  a  demonstrative  turn — as  cold,  indeed,  as  we  islanders 
are  usually  reputed  to  be — but  this  disinterested  kindness  of  Mr. 
Bennett,  so  nobly  carried  into  effect  by  Mr.  Stanley,  was  simply 
overwhelming.  I  really  do  feel  extremely  grateful,  and  at  the 
same  time  I  am  a  little  ashamed  at  not  being  more  worthy  of  the 
generosity.  Mr.  Stanley  has  done  his  part  with  untiring  energy; 
good  judgment,  in  the  teeth  of  very  serious  obstacles.  His  help- 
mates turned  out  depraved  blackguards,  who,  by  their  excesses 
at  Zanzibar  and  elsewhere,  had  ruined  their  constitutions,  and 
prepared  their  systems  to  be  fit  provender  for  the  grave.  They 
had  used  up  their  strength  by  wickedness,  and  were  of  next  to 


STARTS  FOR  RIVER  LUSIZ£. 


401 


no  service,  but  rather  down-drafts,  and  unbearable  drags  to  prog- 
ress. 

November  16tli,  1871. — As  Tanganyika  explorations  are  said 
by  Mr.  Stanley  to  be  an  object  of  interest  to  Sir  Roderick,  we  go 
at  his  expense,  and  by  his  men,  to  the  north  of  the  Lake. 

[Dr.  Livingstone  on  a  previous  occasion  wrote  from  the  interior 
of  Africa  to  the  effect  that  Lake  Tanganyika  poured  its  waters 
into  the  Albert  Nyanza  Lake  of  Baker.  At  the  time,  perhaps, 
he  hardly  realized  the  interest  that  such  an  announcement  was 
likely  to  occasion.  He  was  now  shown  the  importance  of  ascer- 
taining by  actual  observation  whether  the  junction  really  exist- 
ed, and  for  this  purpose  he  started  with  Mr.  Stanley  to  explore 
the  region  of  the  supposed  connecting  link  in  the  north,  so  as  to 
verify  the  statements  of  the  Arabs.] 

Novemher  16th. — Four  hours  to  Chigoma. 

November  20th,  21st. — Passed  a  very  crowded  population,  the 
men  calling  to  us  to  land,  to  be  fleeced  and  insulted  by  way  of 
Mahonga  or  Mutuari :  they  threw  stones  in  rage,  and  one,  appar- 
ently slung,  lighted  close  to  the  canoe.  We  came  on  until  after 
dark,  and  landed  under  a  cliff'  to  rest  and  cook,  but  a  crowd  came 
and  made  inquiries;  then  a  few  more  came,  as  if  to  investigate 
more  perfectly :  they  told  us  to  sleep,  and  to-morrow  friendship 
should  be  made.  We  put  our  luggage  on  board,  and  set  a  watch 
on  the  cliff".  A  number  of  men  came  along,  cowering  behind 
rocks,  which  then  aroused  suspicion,  and  we  slipped  off  quietly : 
they  called  after  us,  as  men  balked  of  their  prey.  We  went  on 
five  hours  and  slept,  and  then  this  morning  came  on  to  Magala, 
where  the  people  are  civil;  but  Mukamba  had  war  with  some 
one.  The  Lake  narrows  to  about  ten  miles  as  the  western  mount- 
ains come  toward  the  eastern  range,  that  being  about  north-north- 
west magnetic.  Many  stumps  of  trees  killed  by  water  show  an 
encroachment  by  the  Lake  on  the  east  side.  A  transverse  range 
seems  to  shut  in  the  north  end,  but  there  is  open  country  to  the 
east  and  west  of  its  ends. 

November  24<//. — To  Point  Kizuka,  in  Mukamba's  country.  A 
Molongwana  came  to  us  from  Mukamba  and  asserted  most  posi- 
tively that  all  the  water  of  Tanganyika  flowed  into  the  Kiver  Lu- 
siz(i,  and  then  on  to  Ukerewe  of  Mteza:  nothing  could  be  more 
clear  than  his  statements. 

Noven-iber  2~jlh. — We  came  on  about  two  hours  to  some  villages 
on  a  high  bank,  where  Mukamba  is  living.  The  chief,  a  young, 
good-looking  man  like  Mugala,  came  and  welcomed  us.  Our 
friend  of  yesterday  now  declared  as  positively  as  before  that  tl)e 


402 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


water  of  Lusize  flowed  into  Tanganyika,  and  not  the  way  be  said 
yesterday !  I  have  not  the  smallest  doubt  but  Tanganyika  dis- 
charges somewhere,  though  we  may  be  unable  to  find  it.  Lusizd 
goes  to  or  comes  from  Luanda  and  Karagwe.  This  is  hopeful, 
but  I  suspend  my  judgment.  War  rages  between  Mukamba  and 
Wasmashanga,  or  Uasmasane,  a  chief  between  this  and  Lusize: 
ten  men  were  killed  of  Mukamba's  people  a  few  days  ago.  Vast 
numbers  of  fishermen  ply  their  calling  night  and  day  as  fixr  as  we 
can  see.  Tanganyika  closes  in  except  at  one  point  north  and  by 
west  of  us.  The  highest  point  of  the  western  range,  about  seven 
thousand  feet  above  the  sea,  is  Sumburuza.  We  are  to  go  to- 
morrow to  Lohinga,  elder  brother  of  Mukamba,  near  Lusize,  and 
the  chief  follows  us  next  day. 

November  2Qth.  —  Sunday.  Mr.  Stanley  has  severe  fever.  I 
gave  Mukamba  nine  dotis  and  nine  fundos.  'The  end  of  Tan- 
ganyika, seen  clearly,  is  rounded  off  about  4'  broad  from  east  to 
west. 

November  27th. — Mr.  Stanley  is  better.  We  started  at  sunset 
westward,  then  northward  for  seven  hours,  and  at  4  a.m.  reached 
Lohinga,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Lusize. 

November  28ih. — Shot  an  Ibis  religiosa.  In  the  afternoon,  Lo- 
hinga, the  superior  of  Mukambc,  came,  and  showed  himself  very 
intelligent.  He  named  eighteen  rivers,  four  of  which  enter  Tan- 
ganyika, and  the  rest  Lusize:  all  come  into,  none  leave  Tangan- 
yika.* Lusize  is  said  to  rise  in  Kwangeregere,  in  the  Kivo 
lagoon,  between  Mutumbe  and  Luanda.  Nyabungu  is  chief  of 
Mutumbe.  Lohinga  is  the  most  intelligent  and  the  frankest  chief 
we  have  seen  here. 

November  29th. — We  go  to  see  the  Lusiz(5  River  in  a  canoe. 
The  mouth  is  filled  with  large,  reedy,  sedgy  islets  :  there  are  three 
branches,  about  twelve  to  fifteen  yards  broad,  and  one  fathom 
deep,  with  a  strong  current  of  2'  per  hour:  water  discolored. 
The  outlet  of  the  Lake  is  probably  by  the  Longumba  River  into 
Lualaba'as  the  Luamo;  but  this  as  yet  must  be  set  down  as  a 
"theoretical  discovery." 

November  SOlh.  —  A  large  present  of  eggs,  flour,  and  a  sheep 
came  from  Mukamba.  Mr.  Stanley  went  round  to  a  bay  in  the 
west,  to  which  the  mountains  come  sheer  down. 

December  1st,  1871,  ./'>«%.— Latitude  last  night  3°  18'  3"  S. 
I  gave  fifteen  cloths  to  Lohinga,  which  pleased  him  highly. 


*  Thus  the  question  of  the  Lusizo  was  settled  at  once :  the  previous  notion  of  its 
outflow  to  the  north  ])roved  a  invtli. — Ed. 


THE  BABEMB£  BEPOBTED  DAXGEBOUS. 


403 


Kuansibura  is  the  chief  who  lives  near  Kivo,  the  lagoon  from 
which  the  Lusize  rises :  they  say  it  flows  under  a  rock. 
December  2d. — III  from  bilious  attack. 

December  dd. —  Better,  and  thankful.  Men  went  off  to  bring 
Mul^amba,  whose  wife  brought  us  a  handsome  present  of  milk, 
beer,  and  cassava.  She  is  a  good-looking  young  woman,  of  light 
color  and  full  lips,  with  two  children  of  eight  or  ten  years  of 
age.  AVe  gave  them  cloths,  and  she  asked  beads ;  so  we  made 
them  a  present  of  two  fundos.  By  lunars  I  was  one  day  wrong 
to-day. 

December  -itJi.- — Very  heavy  rain  from  north  all  night.  Baker's 
lake  can  not  be  as  near  as  he  puts  it  in  his  map,  for  it  is  unknown 
to  Lohinga.  He  thinks  that  he  is  a  hundred  years  old,  but  he  is 
really  about  forty-five  !  Namataranga  is  the  name  of  birds  which 
float  high  in  air  in  large  flocks. 

December  5th.  — We  go  over  to  a  point  on  our  east.  The  bay 
is  about  12'  broad  :  the  mountains  liere  are  very  beautiful.  We 
visited  the  chief  Mukamba  at  his  village  five  miles  north  of  Lo- 
hinga's;  he  wanted  us  to  remain  a  few  days,  but  I  declined.  "We 
saw  two  flocks  Ibis  relifjiosa,  numbering  in  all  fifty  birds,  feed- 
ing like  geese. 

December  &th. — Remain  at  Lohinga's. 

December  7th. — Start  and  go  south-west  to  Lohanga  :  passed  the 
point  where  Speke  turned,  then  breakfasted  at  the  market-place. 

December  8th. — Go  on  to  Mukamba,  near  the  boundary  of  Ba- 
bembe  and  Bavira.  We  pulled  six  hours  to  a  rocky  islet,  with 
two  rocks  covered  with  trees  on  its  western  side.  The  Babembe 
are  said  to  be  dangerous,  on  account  of  having  been  slaughtered 
by  the  Malongwana.    The  latitude  of  these  islands  is  3°  41'  S. 

December  9ih. — Leave  New  York  Herald  Islet,  and  go  south  to 
Lubumba  Cape.  The  people  now  are  the  Basansas  along  the 
coast.  Some  men  here  were  drunk,  and  troublesome :  we  gave 
them  a  present,  and  left  them  about  half- past  four  in  the  after- 
noon and  went  to  an  islet  at  the  north  end  in  about  three  hours' 
good  pulling,  and  afterward,  in  eight  hours,  to  the  eastern  shore; 
this  makes  the  Lake  say  twenty-eight  or  thirty  miles  broad.  We 
coasted  along  to  Mokuiigos,  and  rested. 

December  10th. — Kisessa  is  chief  of  all  the  islet  Mozima.  Uis 
son  was  maltreated  at  Ujiji,  and  died  in  consequence.  This  stop- 
ped the  dura  trade,  and  we  were  not  assaulted,  because  not  Ma- 
longwana. 

December  WtJi. — Leave  Mokungo  at  fi  a.m.,  and  coast  along  six 
hours  and  a  half  to  Sazzi. 


404 


LiriXGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


December  12th. — Mr.  Stanley  ill  with  fever.  0£f,  and  after  three 
hours  stop  at  Masambo  village. 

December  13(h. — Mr.  Stanley  better.  Go  on  to  Ujiji.  Mr.  Stan- 
ley received  a  letter  from  Consul  Webb  (American)  of  the  11th  of 
June  last,  and  telegrams  from  Aden  up  to  the  29th  of  April. 

December  l-lih. — Many  people  off  to  fight  Mirambo  at  Unyan- 
yembc:  their  wives  promenade,  and  weave  grejin  leaves  for  victory. 

December  loth. — At  Ujiji.  Getting  ready  to  march  east  for  my 
goods. 

December  16th. — Engage  paddlers  to  Tongwe  and  a  guide. 
December  11th. — South. 
December  18th. — -Writing. 

December  19///,  20//;. — Still  writing  dispatches.  Packed  up  the 
large  tin  box  with  Manyuema  swords  and  spear-heads,  for  trans- 
mission home  by  Mr.  Stanley.  Two  chronometers  and  two  watch- 
es— anklets  of  Nzige  and  of  Manyuema.  Leave  with  Mohamad 
bin  Saleh  a  box  with  books,  shirts,  paper,  etc.;  also  large  and 
small  beads,  tea,  coffee,  and  sugar. 

December  21st. — Heavy  rains  for  planting  now. 

December  22d. — Stanley  ill  of  fever. 

December  2Sd. — Do.  very  ill.    Rainy  and  uncomfortable. 

December  24//i. — South. 

December  25th. — Christmas.  I  leave  here  one  bag  of  beads  in  a 
skin,  two  bags  of  Sungo  mazi,  746  and  756  blue.  Gardner's  bag 
of  beads,  soap  two  bars,  in  three  boxes  (wood):  1st,  tea  and  ma- 
tunda ;  2d,  wooden  box,  paper  and  shirts;  3d,  iron  box,  shoes, 
quinine,  one  bag  of  coffee,  sextant  stand,  one  long  wooden  box 
empty.  These  are  left  with  Mohamad  bin  Saleh  at  Ujiji,  Christ- 
mas-day, 1871.  Two  bags  of  beads  are  already  here,  and  table- 
cloths. 

December  26th. — Had  but  a  sorry  Christmas  yesterday. 

December  27th. — i\fe7n.  To  send  Moenyegher^  some  coffee,  and 
tell  his  wishes  to  Masudi.  Left  Ujiji  9  a.m.,  and  crossed  goats, 
donkeys,  and  men  over  Luichc.    Sleep  at  the  Malagarasi. 

December  29th. — Crossed  over  the  broad  bay  of  the  Malagarasi 
to  Kagonga,  and  sleep. 

December  SOth. — Pass  Viga  Point,  red  sandstone,  and  cross  the 
bay  of  the  River  Lugufii  and  Nkala  village,  and  transport  the 
people  and  goats  :  sleep. 

December  Blst. —  Send  for  beans,  as  there  arc  no  provisions  in 
front  of  this.  Brown  water  of  the  Lugufu  bent  away  north  :  the 
high  wind  is  south-west  and  west.  Having  provisions,  we  went 
round  Munkalu  Point.    The  water  is  slightly  discolored  for  a 


ME.  STANLEY  SHOOTS  GAME. 


405 


mile  south  of  it,  but  brown  water  is  seen  on  the  north  side  of  bay 
bent  north  by  a  current. 

January  1st,  1872. — May  the  Almighty  help  me  to  finish  my 
work  this  year  for  Christ's  sake!  We  slept  in  Mosehezi  Bay.  I 
was  storm-stayed  in  Kifwe  Bay,  which  is  very  beautiful — still  as 
a  mill-pond.  We  found  twelve  or  thirteen  hippopotami  near  a 
high  bank,* but  did  not  kill  any,  for  our  balls  are  not  hardened. 
It  is  high,  rocky,  tree-covered  shore,  with  rocks  bent  and  twisted 
wonderfully.  Large  slices  are  worn  off  the  land,  with  hill-sides 
clad  with  robes  of  living  green,  yet  very,  very  steep. 

January  2d. — A  very  broad  belt  of  large  tussocks  of  reeds  lines 
the  shore  near  Mount  Kibanga  or  Boumba.  We  had  to  coast 
along  to  the  south.  Saw  a  village  nearly  afloat,  the  people  hav- 
ing there  taken  refuge  from  their  enemies.  Tiaere  are  many  hip- 
popotami and  crocodiles  in  Tanganyika.  A  river  thirty  yards 
wide,  the  Kibanga,  flows  in  strongly.  We  encamped  on  an  open 
space  on  a  knoll,  and  put  up  flags  to  guide  our  land-party  to  us. 

January  3d. — We  send  off  to  buy  food.  Mr.  Stanley  shot  a  fat 
zebra  ;  its  meat  was  very  good. 

January  Atli. — The  Ujijians  left  last  night  with  their  canoes. 
I  gave  them  fourteen  fundos  of  beads  to  buy  food  on  the  way. 
We  are  now  waiting  for  our  land-party.  I  gave  head  men  here 
at  Burimba  two  dotis  and  a  kitamba.  Men  arrived  yesterday,  or 
four  days  and  a  half  from  the  Lugufu. 

January  5th. — Mr.  Stanley  is  ill  of  fever.  I  am  engaged  in 
copying  notes  into  my  journal.   All  men  and  goats  arrived  safely. 

January  6th. — Mr.  Stanley  better,  and  we  prepare  to  go. 

January  7th. — Mr.  Stanley  shot  a  buffalo  at  the  end  of  our  first 
march  up.  East,  and  across  the  hills.  The  Eiver  Luajere  is  in 
front.    We  spend  the  night  at  the  carcass  of  the  buffalo. 

•January  8th. — We  crossed  the  river,  which  is  thirty  yards 
wide,  and  rapid.  It  is  now  knee  and  waist  deep.  The  country 
is  rich  and  beautiful,  hilly  and  tree-covered,  reddish  soil,  and  game 
abundant. 

January  9th. — Rainy,  but  we  went  on  cast  and  north-north- 
ea.st  through  a  shut-in  valley  to  an  opening  full  of  all  kinds  of 
game.  Buffalo  cows  have  calves  now  :  one  was  wounded.  Eain 
came  down  abundantly. 

January  10th. — Across  a  very  lovely  green  country  of  open 
forest,  all  fresh,  and  like  an  English  gentleman's  park.  Game 
plentiful.  Tree- covered  mountains  right  and  left,  and  much 
brown  iiernatite  on  the  levels.  Course  east.  A  range  of  mount- 
ains appears  about  three  miles  off  on  our  right. 


406 


LIVIXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


January  11th. — Off  through  open  forest  for  three  hours  east, 
then  cook,  and  go  on  east  another  three  hours,  over  very  rough, 
rocky,  hilly  country.    River  Mtambahu. 

January  12th. — Olf  early,  and  pouring  rain  came  down.  As 
we  advance,  the  country  is  undulating.  We  cross  a  rivulet  fif- 
teen yards  wide  going  north,  and  at  another,  of  three  yards,  came 
to  a  halt:  all  wet  and  uncomfortable. 

The  people  pick  up  many  mushrooms  and  manendinga  roots, 
like  turnips.    There  are  buffaloes  near  us  in  great  numbers. 

January  IWi. — Fine  morning.  Went  through  an  undulating 
hilly  country,  clothed  with  upland  trees,  for  three  hours,  then 
breakfast  in  an  open  glade,  with  bottom  of  rociis  of  brown  hema- 
tite, and  a  hole  with  rain-water  in  it.  We  are  over  one  thousand 
feet  higher  than  Tanganyika.  It  became  cloudy,  and  we  finish- 
ed our  march,  in  a  pouring  rain,  at  a  rivulet  thickly  clad  with 
aquatic  trees  on  banks.    Course  east-south-east. 

January  l^th. — Another  fine  morning,  but  miserably  wet  after- 
noon. We  went  almost  -i'  east-south-east,  and  crossed  a  strong 
rivulet  eight  or  ten  yards  wide :  then  on  and  up  to  a  ridge  and 
along  the  top  of  it,  going  about  south.  We  had  breakfast  on  the 
edge  of  the  plateau,  looking  down  into  a  broad,  lovely  valley. 
We  now  descended,  and  saw  many  reddish  monkeys,  which  ma.de 
a  loud  outcry :  there  was  much  game,  but  scattered,  and  we  got 
none.  Miserably  wet  crossing  another  stream,  then  up  a  valley 
to  see  a  deserted  boma,  or  fenced  village. 

January  loth. — Along  a  valley  with  high  mountains  on  each 
band,  then  up  over  that  range  on  our  left  or  south.  At  the  top 
some  lions  roared.  We  then  went  on  on  high  land,  and  saw 
many  hartbeests  and  zebra,  but  did  not  get  one,  though  a  builulo 
was  knocked  over.  We  crossed  a  rivulet,  and  away  over  beau- 
tiful and  undulating  hills  and  vales,  covered  with  many  trees  and 
jambros  fruit.    Sleep  at  a  running  rill. 

January  16ih. — A  very  cold  night,  after  long-continued  and 
heavy  rain.  Our  camp  was  among  brackens.  Went  east  and  by 
south  along  the  higli  land  ;  then  we  saw  a  village  down  in  a  deep 
valley,  into  which  we  descended.  Then  up  another  ridge  in  a 
valley  and  along  to  a  village  well  cultivated ;  up  again  seven 
hundred  feet  at  least,  and  down  to  Merera's  village,  hid  in  a 
mountainous  nook — about  one  hundred  and  forty  huts,  with  doors 
on  one  side.  The  valleys  present  a  lovely  scene  of  industry, 
all  the  people  being  eagerly  engaged  in  w-eeding  and  hoeing,  to 
take  advantage  of  the  abundant  rains  which  have  drenched  us 
every  afternoon. 


ATTACKED  BY  BEES. 


407 


January  17th. — We  remain  at  Merera's  to  buy  food  for  our 
men  and  ourselves. 

January  18th. — March,  but  the  Mirongosi  wandered,  and  led 
us  roundabout  instead  of  south-south-east.  We  came  near  some 
tree-covered  hills,  and  a  river,  Monya  Mazi — Mtamba  Eiver  in 
front.    I  have  very  sore  feet  from  bad  shoes. 

Januai'y  19th.  —  Went  about  south-east  for  four  hours,  and 
crossed  the  Mbamba  Eiver  and  passed  through  open  forest. 
There  is  a  large  rock  in  the  river,  and  hills  thickly  tree-covered, 
2'  east  and  west ;  down  a  steep  descent,  and  camp.  Came  down 
River  Mpokwa,  over  rough  country,  with  sore  feet,  to  ruins  of  a 
village,  Basavira,  and  sleep. 

January  21st. — Rest. 

January  lid. — Rest.  Mr.  Stanley  shot  two  zebras  yesterday, 
and  a  she-giraffe  to-day.  The  meat  of  the  giraffe  was  one  thou- 
sand pounds  weight,  the  two  zebras  about  eight  hundred  pounds. 

January  IZd. — Rest.    Mr.  Stanley  has  fever. 

January  24:th. — Ditto. 

January  2oth. — Stanley  ill. 

January  2Qth.  —  Stanley  better,  and  off.  Through  low  hills 
north-east  and  among  bamboos  to  open  forest:  on  in  undulating 
bushy  tract  to  a  river  with  two  rounded  hills  east,  one  having 
three  mushroom-shaped  trees  on  it. 

January  21th. — On  across  long  land-waves,  and  the  only  bam- 
boos east  of  Mpokwa  rill,  to  breakfost.  In  going  on,  a  swarm 
of  bees  attacked  a  donkey  Mr.  Stanle3'  bought  for  me,  and,  instead 
of  galloping  off,  as  did  the  other,  the  fool  of  a  beast  rolled  down, 
and  over  and  over.  I  did  the  same,  then  ran,  dashed  into  a  bush 
like  an  ostrich  pursued,  than  ran  whisking  a  bush  round  my 
head.  They  gave  me  a  sore  head  and  face  before  I  got  rid  of 
the  angry  insects:  I  never  saw  men  attacked  before:  the  donkey 
was  completely  knocked  up  by  the  stings  on  head,  face,  and  lips, 
and  died  in  two  days  in  consequence.  We  slept  in  the  stockade 
of  Misonghi. 

January  28th. — We  crossed  the  river,  and  then  away  cast  to 
near  a  hill.  Crossed  two  rivers,  broad  and  marshy,  and  dee[),  with 
elephants  plunging.  Rain  almost  daily,  but  less  in  amount  now. 
Bombay  says  liis  greatest  desire  is  to  visit  Speke's  grave  ere  he 
dies:  he  has  a  square  head,  with  the  top  depressed  in  the  centre. 

January  29th. — We  ascended  a  ridge,  tlie  edge  of  a  flat  basin 
with  ledges  of  dark  brown  sandstone,  the  brim  of  ponds  in  which 
were  deposited  great  masses  of  brown  hematite,  disintegrated  into 
gravel  :  flat  open  forest,  with  short  grass.    Wc  crossed  a  rill  of 


408 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


light  -  colored  water  three  times,  and  reached  a  village.  After 
this,  in  one  hour  and  a  half  we  came  to  Merera's. 

January  SOth. — At  Mereja's,  the  second  of  the  name.  Much 
rain,  and  very  heavy ;  food  abundant.  Banyamwezi  and  Yuko- 
nongo  people  here. 

January  Z\st. — Through  scraggy  bush,  then  open  forest,  with 
short  grass,  over  a  broad  rill,  and  on  good  path  to  village  Mwaro ; 
chief  Kamirambo. 

February  1st,  1872. — We  met  a  caravan  of  Syde  bin  Habib's 
people  yesterday,  who  reported  that  Mirambo  has  offered  to  repay 
all  the  goods  he  has  robbed  the  Arabs  of,  all  the  ivory,  powder, 
blood,  etc.,  but  his  offer  was  rejected.  The  country  all  around  is 
devastated,  and  Arab  force,  is  at  Simba's.  Mr.  Stanley's  man 
Shaw  is  dead.  There  is  very  great  mortality  by  small-pox  among 
the  Arabs  and  at  the  coast.  We  went  over  flfit  upland  forest, 
open  and  bushy,  then  down  a  deep  descent,  and  along  north-east 
to  a  large  tree  at  a  deserted  stockade. 

Fehruary  Id. — Away  over  ridges  of  cultivation  and  elephants' 
footsteps.  Cultivators  all  swept  away  by  Basavira.  "Very  many 
elephants  feed  here.  We  lost  our  trail,  and  sent  men  to  seek  it, 
then  came  to  the  camp  in  the  forest.  Lunched  at  rill  running 
into  Ngombd  Nullah. 

Ukamba  is  the  name  of  the  tsetse  fly  here. 

February  3c?. — Mr.  Stanley  has  severe  fever,  with  great  pains 
in  the  back  and  loins.  An  emetic  helped  him  a  little,  but  resin 
of  jalap  would  have  cured  him  quickly.    Eainy  all  day. 

February  4:th. — Mr.  Stanley  so  ill  that  we  carried  him  in  a  cot 
across  flat  forest  and  land  covered  with  short  grass  for  three 
hours,  about  north-east,  and  at  last  found  a  path,  which  was  a 
great  help.  As  soon  as  the  men  got  under  cover,  continued  rains 
began.    There  is  a  camp  of  Malongwana  here. 

February  bth. — Off  at  6  A.M.  Mr.  Stanley  a  little  better,  but 
still  carried  across  same  level  forest.  We  pass  water  in  pools, 
and  one  in  hematite.  Saw  a  black  rhinoceros,  and  come  near 
people. 

February  Gth. — Drizzly  morning,  but  we  went  on,  and  in  two 
hours  got  drenched  with  a  cold  nortli-west  rain :  the  paths  full 
of  water,  we  splashed  along  to  our  camp  in  a  wood.  Met  a  party 
of  native  traders  going  to  Mwara. 

February  7lh.- — Along  level  plains,  and  clumps  of  forest,  and 
hollows  filled  at  present  with  water,  about  north-east  to  a  large 
pool  of  Ngombc  Nullah.  Send  ofl"  two  men  to  Unyanyembc  for 
letters  and  medicine. 


SEVERE  ILLNESS  OF  MR.  STANLEY. 


409 


February  8th. — Eemoved  from  the  large  pool  of  the  nullah, 
about  an  hour  north,  to  where  game  abounds.  Saw  giraffes  and 
zebras  on  our  way.  The  nullah  is  covered  with  lotus-plants,  and 
swarms  with  crocodiles. 

February  9th. — Remained  for  game,  but  we  were  unsuccessful. 
An  eland  was  shot  by  Mr.  Stanley,  but  it  was  lost.  Departed  at 
2  P.M.,  and  reached  Manyara,  a  kind  old  chief.  The  country  is 
flat,  and  covered  with  detached  masses  of  forest,  with  open  glades 
and  flats. 

February  10th.  —  Leave  Manyara,  and  pass  along  the  same 
park-like  country,  with  but  little  water.  The  rain  sinks  into  the 
sandy  soil  at  once,  and  the  collection  is  seldom  seen.  After  a  hard 
tramp,  we  came  to  a  pool  by  a  sycamore-tree,  twenty-eight  feet  nine 
inches  in  circumference,  with  broad,  fruit-laden  branches.  Ziwand 

February  11th.  —  Eain  nearly  all  night.  Scarcely  a  day  has 
passed  without  rain  and  thunder  since  we  left  Tanganyika. 
Across  a  flat  forest  again,  meeting  a  caravan  for  Ujiji.  The 
grass  is  three  feet  high,  and  in  seed.  Eeach  Chikuru,  a  stock- 
aded village,  with  dura  plantations  around  it  and  pools  of  rain- 
water. 

February  12lh. — Eest. 

February,  13th. — Leave  Chikuru,  and  wade  across  an  open  flat 
with  much  standing- water.  They  plant  rice  on  the  wet  land 
round  the  villages.  Our  path  lies  through  an  open  forest,  where 
many  trees  are  killed  for  the  sake  of  the  bark,  which  is  used  as 
cloth,  and  for  roofing  and  beds.    Mr.  Stanley  has  severe  fever. 

February  IMi.. — Across  the  same  flat,  open  forest,  with  scrag- 
gy trees  and  grass,  three  feet  long,  in  tufts.  Came  to  a  boma. 
North-east  of  Gunda. 

February  loth. — Over  the  same  kind  of  country,  where  the  wa- 
ter was  stagnant,  to  camp  in  tlie  forest. 

February  IQth. — Camp  near  Kigando,  in  a  rolling  country  with 
granite  knolls. 

February  11th. — Over  a  country,  chiefly  level,  with  stagnant 
water:  rounded  hilfs  were  seen.  Cross  a  rain -torrent,  and  en- 
camp in  a  new  boma,  Magonda. 

February  18th. — Go  through  low,  tree-covered  hills  of  granite, 
with  blocks  of  rock  sticking  out:  much  land  cultivated,  and 
many  villages.  The  country  now  opens  out,  and  wc  come  to  the 
tembd,*  in  the  midst  of  many  .straggling  villages.  Unyanyembd 
Thanks  to  the  Almighty  I 


*  Tembd,  a  flat-roofed  Aral)  house. 


410 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Determines  to  continue  his  Work. — Proposed  Route. — Refits. — Robberies  discov- 
ered.— Mr.  Stanley  leaves. — Parting  Messages. — Mteza's  People  arrive. — Ancient 
Geography. — Tabora. — Description  of  the  Country. — The  Banyamwezi.  —  A 
Baganda  Bargain. — The  Population  of  Unyanyembc. — The  Mirambo  War. — 
Thoughts  on  Sir  S.Baker's  Policy. — The  Cat  and  the  Snake. —Firm  Faith. — 
Feathered  Neighbors. — Mistaken  Notion  concerning  Mothers. — Prospects  for  Mis- 
sionaries.— Halima. — News  of  other  Travelers. — Chuma  is  married. 

By  the  arrival  of  the  fast  Ramadan  on  the  1-ith  of  November, 
and  a  Nautical  Almanac,  I  discovered  that  I  was  on  that  date 
twenty -one  days  too  fast  in  my  reckoning.  Mr.  Stanley  used 
some  very  strong  arguments  in  favor  of  my  going  home,  recruit- 
ing my  strength,  getting  artificial  teeth,  and  then  returning  to 
finish  my  task;  but  my  judgment  said,  "All  your  friends  will 
wish  you  to  make  a  complete  work  of  the  exploration  of  the 
sources  of  the  Nile  before  you  retire."  My  daughter  Agnes 
says,  "  Much  as  I  wish  you  to  come  home,  I  would  rather  that 
you  finished  your  work  to  your  own  satisfaction  than  return 
merely  to  gratify  me."  Rightly  and  nobly  said,  my  darling 
Nannie.  Vanity  whispers  pretty  loudly,  "  She  is  a  chip  of  the 
old'  block."    My  blessing  on  her  and  all  the  rest. 

It  is  all  but  certain  that  four  full-grown  gushing  fountains  rise 
on  the  water-shed  eight  days  south  of  Katanga,  each  of  which  at 
no  great  distance  off  becomes  a  large  river;  and  two  rivers  thus 
formed  flow  north  to  Eg3'pt,  the  other  two  south  to  Inner  Ethi- 
opia; that  is,  Lufira,  or  Bartle  Frere's  River,  flows  into  Kamo- 
londo,  and  that  into  Webb's  Lualaba,  the  main  line  of  drainage. 
Another,  on  the  north  side  of  the  sources.  Sir  Paraffin  Young's 
Lualaba,  flows  through  Lake  Lincoln,  otherwise  named  Chibungo 
and  Lomame,  and  that,  too,  into  Webb's  Lualaba.  Then  Liambai 
Fountain,  Palmerston's,  forms  the  Upper  Zambesi ;  and  the  Lunga 
(Lunga),  Oswell's  Fountain,  is  the  Kafue;  both  flowing  into  In- 
ner Etliiopia.  It  may  be  that  these  are  not  the  fountains  of  the 
Nile  mentioned  to  Herodotus  by  the  secretary  of  Minerva,  in 
Sais,  in  Egypt;  but  they  are  worth  di.scovery,  as  in  the  last  hun- 
dred of  the  seven  hundred  miles  of  the  water-shed,  from  which 
nearly  all  the  Nile  springs  do  unquestionably  arise. 

I  propose  to  go  from  Unyanyembc  to  Fipa ;  then  round  the 


GIFTS  FE02I  ME.  STANLEY. 


411 


south  end  of  Tano;anvika,  Tambete  or  Mbete ;  then  across  the 
Charabeze,  and  round  south  of  Lake  Bangweolo,  and  due  west 
to  the  ancient  fountains ;  leaving  the  under-ground  excavations 
till  after  visiting  Katanga.  This  route  will  serve  to  certify  that 
no  other  sources  of  the  Nile  can  come  from  the  south  without 
being  seen  by  me.  No  one  will  cut  me  out  after  this  exploration 
is  accomplished ;  and  may  the  good  Lord  of  all  help  me  to  show 
myself  one  of  his  stout-hearted  servants,  an  honor  to  my  chil- 
dren, and  perhaps  to  my  country  and  race. 

Our  march  extended  from  December  26th,  1871,  till  Februa- 
ry 18th,  1872,  or  fifty-four  days.  This  was  over  three  hundred 
miles,  and  thankful  I  am  to  reach  Unyanyembe,  and  the  Tembe 
Kwikuru. 

I  find,  also,  that  the  two  head  men  selected  by  the  notorious 
but  covert  slave-trader,  Ludha  Damji,  have  been  plundering  my 
stores  from  October  20th,  1870,  to  February  18th,  1872,  or  near- 
ly sixteen  months.  One  has  died  of  small-pox ;  and  the  other 
not  only  plundered  my  stores,  but  has  broken  open  the  lock  of 
Mr.  Stanley's  store-room  and  plundered  his  goods.  He  declared 
that  all  my  goods  were  safe ;  but  when  the  list  was  referred  to, 
and  the  goods  counted,  and  he  was  questioned  as  to  the  serious 
loss,  he  at  last  remembered  a  bale  of  seven  pieces  of  merikano, 
and  three  kanike,  or  three  hundred  and  four  yards,  that  he  evi- 
dently had  hidden.  On  questioning  him  about  the  boxes  brought, 
he  was  equally  ignorant,  but  at  last  said,  "  Oh !  I  remember  a 
box  of  brandy  where  it  went,  and  every  one  knows  as  well  as  I." 

Fthfuary  18(h,  1872. — This  and  Mr.  Stanley's  goods  being  found 
in  his  possession,  make  me  resolve  to  have  done  with  him.  My 
losses  by  the  robberies  of  the  Banian  employed  slav'es  are  more 
than  made  up  by  Mr.  Stanley,  who  has  given  me  twelve  bales 
of  calico,  nine  loads  =  fourteen  and  a  half  bags  of  beads,  thirty- 
eight  coils  of  brass  wire,  a  tent,  boat,  bath,  cooking-pots,  twelve 
copper  sheets,  air-beds,  trowsers,  jackets,  etc.  Indeed,  I  am  again 
quite  set  up ;  and  as  soon  as  he  can  send  men,  not  slaves,  from 
the  coast,  I  go  to  my  work,  with  a  fair  prospect  of  finishing  it. 

February  19th. — Kest.  Kcceive  thirty-eight  coils  of  brass  wire 
from  Mr.  Stanley,  fourteen  and  a  half  bags  of  beads,  twelve  cop- 
per sheets,  a  strong  canvas  tent,  boat-trowscrs,  nine  loads  of  cali- 
co, a  bath,  cooking-pots,  a  medicine -chest,  a  good  lot  of  tool.«!, 
tacks,  screw-nail.s,  coj^per  nails,  books,  medicines,  paper,  tar,  many 
cartridges,  and  some  shot. 

February  20tli. — To  my  great  joy,  I  got  four  flannel  shirts 
from  Agnes,  and  I  was  delighted  to  find  that  two  pairs  of  fine 


412 


LiriNGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


English  boots  had  most  considerately  been  sent  by  my  friend 
Mr.  Waller.  Mr.  Stanley  and  I  measured  the  calico,  and  found 
that  seven  hundred  and  thirty-three  and  three-quarter  yards  were 
wanting,  also  two  frasilahs  of  samsam,  and  one  case  of  brandy. 
Othman  pretended  sickness,  and  blamed  the  dead  men,  but  pro- 
duced a  bale  of  calico  hidden  in  Thani's  goods;  this  reduced  the 
missing  quantity  to  four  hundred  and  thirty -six  and  a  half  yards. 

February  21st. —  Heavy  rains.  I  am  glad  we  are  in  shelter. 
Masudi  is  an  Arab,  near  to  Ali  bin  Salem  at  Bagamoio.  Bushir 
is  an  Arab,  for  whose  slave  he  took  a  bale  of  calico.  Masudi 
took  this  Chirongozi,  who  is  not  a  slave,  as  a  pagazi,  or  porter. 
Eobbed  by  Bushir  at  the  fifth  camp  from  Bagamoio.  Othman 
confessed  that  he  knew  of  the  sale  of  the  box  of  brandy,  and 
brought  also  a  shawl  which  he  had  forgotten:  I  searched  him, 
and  found  Mr.  Stanley's  stores  which  he  had  stolen. 

February  22cZ.  —  Service  this  morning,  and  thanked  God  for 
safety  thus  far.    Got  a  packet  of  letters  from  an  Arab. 

February  23c^. — Send  to  governor  for  a  box  which  he  has 
kept  for  four  years  :  it  is  all  eaten  by  white  ants.  Two  fine  guns 
and  a  pistol  are  quite  destroyed,  all  the  wood-work  being  eaten. 
The  brandy-bottles  were  broken,  to  make  it  appear  as  if  by  an 
accident;  but  the  corks  being  driven  in,  and  corks  of  maize-cobs 
used  in  their  place,  show  that  a  thief  has  drunk  the  brandy  and 
then  broken  the  bottles.  The  tea  was  spoiled,  but  the  china  was 
safe,  and  the  cheese  good. 

February  24</i. — Writing  a  dispatch  to  Lord  Granville  against 
Banian  slaving,  and  in  favor  of  an  English  native  settlement 
transfer. 

February  25th. — A  number  of  Batusi  women  came  to-day  ask- 
ing for  presents.  They  are  tall  and  graceful  in  form,  with  well- 
shaped,  small  heads,  noses,  and  mouths.  They  are  the  chief  own- 
ers of  cattle  here.  The  war  with  Mirambo  is  still  going  on. 
The  governor  is  ashamed  to  visit  me. 

February  26th. — Writing  journal  and  dispatch. 

February  21lh. — IMoencmokaia  is  ill  of  heart  disease  and  liver 
abscess.  I  sent  him  some  blistering  fluid.  To-day  we  hold  a 
Christmas  feast. 

February  28ih. — Writing  journal.  Syde  bin  Salem  called;  he 
is  a  China-looking  man,  and  tried  to  be  civil  to  us. 

March  5th,  1872. — My  friend  Moenemokaia  came  yesterday; 
he  is  very  ill  of  abscess  in  liver,  which  has  burst  internally.  I 
gave  him  some  calomel  and  jalap  to  open  his  bowels.  lie  is  very 
weak ;  his  legs  are  swollen,  but  body  emaciated. 


JOUBNAt  SENT  ROME. 


413 


March  6th. — Eepairing  tent,  and  receiving  sundry  stores.  Moe- 
nemokaia  died. 
March  Ith. — Eeceived  a  machine  for  filling  cartridges. 
March  8ih,  9^A.— Writing. 

March  10th. — Writing.  Gave  Mr.  Stanley  a  check  for  five 
thousand  rupees  on  Stewart  and  Co.,  Bombay.  This  £500  is  to 
be  drawn  if  Dr.  Kirk  has  expended  the  rest  of  the  £1000.  If 
not,  then  the  check  is  to  be  destroyed  by  Mr.  Stanley. 

March  12^A.— Writing. 

March  ISth. — Finished  my  letter  to  Mr.  Bennett  of  the  New 
York  Herald,  and  Dispatch  No.  3  to  Lord  Granville. 

March  14th. — Mr.  Stanley  leaves.  I  commit  to  his  care  my 
journal  sealed  with  five  seals:  the  impressions  on  them  are  those 
of  an  American  gold  coin,  anna,  and  half  anna,  and  cake  of  paint 
with  royal  arms.    Positively  not  to  be  opened. 

[We  must  leave  each  h^art  to  know  its  own  bitterness,  as  the 
old  explorer  retraces  his  steps  to  the  tembe  at  Kwihara,  there  to 
hope  and  pray  that  good  fortune  may  attend  his  companion  of 
the  last  few  months  on  his  journey  to  the  coast;  while  Stanley, 
duly  impressed  with  the  importance  of  that  which  he  can  reveal 
to  the  outer  world,  and  laden  with  a  responsibility  which  by  this 
time  can  be  fully  comprehended,  thrusts  on  through  every  diffi- 
culty. 

There  is  nothing  for  it  now  but  to  give  Mr.  Stanley  time  to  get 
to  Zanzibar,  and  to  shorten  by  any  means  at  hand  the  anxious 
period  which  must  elapse  before  evidence  can  arrive  that  he  has 
carried  out  the  commission  intrusted  to  him. 

As  we  shall  see,  Livingstone  was  not  without  some  material 
to  afford  him  occupation.  Distances  were  calculated  from  native 
report;  preparations  were  pushed  on  for  the  coming  journey  to 
Lake  Bangwcolo ;  apparatus  was  set  in  order.  Travelers,  from 
all  quarters  dropped  in  from  time  to  time :  each  contributed 
something  about  his  own  land ;  while  waifs  and  strays  of  news 
from  the  expedition  sent  by  tiie  Arabs  against  Mirambo  kept  the 
settlement  alive.    To  return  to  his  diary. 

How  much  seems  to  lie  in  their  separating,  when  we  remember 
that  with  the  last  shake  of  the  hand,  and  the  last  adieu,  came  the 
final  parting  between  Livingstone  and  all  that  could  represent 
the  interest  felt  by  the  world  iu  his  travels,  or  the  sympathy  of 
the  white  man  I] 

March  Idth. — Writing  to  send  after  Mr.  Stanley  by  two  of  his 
men,  who  wait  here  for  the  purpose.  Copied  line  of  route,  ob- 
servations from  Kabuire  to  Casembe's,  the  second  visit,  and  on 
to  Lake  Bangwcolo;  then  the  experiment  of  weight  on  watch- 
key  at  Nyangwu  and  Lusizc. 


414 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


March  IQth. — Sent  the  men  after  Mr.  Stanley,  and  two  of  mine 
to  bring  his  last  words,  if  any. 

[Sunday  was  kept  in  the- quiet  of  the  tembe,  on  the  17th  of 
March.  Two  days  after,  and  his  birthday  again  comes  round — 
that  day  which  seems  always  to  have  carried  with  it  such  a  spe- 
cial solemnity.  He  has  yet  time  to  look  back  on  his  marvelous 
deliverances,  and  the  venture  he  is  about  to  launch  forth  upon.] 

March  l^th. — Birthda3^  My  Jesus,  my  king,  my  life,  my  all; 
I  again  dedicate  my  whole  self  to  Thee.  Accept  me,  and  grant, 
oh,  gracious  Father,  that  ere  this  year  is  gone  I  may  finish  my 
task.    In  Jesus's  name  I  ask  it.    Amen,  so  let  it  be. 

David  Livingstone, 

[Many  of  his  astronomical  observations  werQ  copied  out  at  this 
time,  and  minute  records  taken  of  the  rain-fall.  Books  saved  up 
against  a  rainy  day  were  read  in  the  middle  of  the  Masika  and 
its  heavy  showers.] 

March  21st. — Read  Baker's  book.  It  is  artistic  and  clever.  He 
does  good  service  in  exploring  the  Nile  slave-trade :  I  hope  he 
may  be  successful  in  suppressing  it. 

The  Batusi  are  the  cattle-herds  of  all  this  Unyanyembe  region. 
They  are  very  polite  in  address.  The  women  have  small,  com- 
pact, well-shaped  heads  and  pretty  faces;  color,  brown;  very 
pleasant  to  speak  to;  well-shaped  figures,  with  small  hands  and 
feet;  the  last  with  high  insteps,  and  springy  altogether.  Plants 
and  grass  are  collected  every  day,  and  a  fire,  with  much  smoke, 
made  to  fumigate  the  cattle  and  keep  off  flies:  the  cattle  like  it, 
and  the  valleys  are  filled  with  smoke  in  the  evening  in  conse- 
quence. The  Baganda  are  slaves  in  comparison ;  black,  with  a 
tinge  of  copper-color  sometimes ;  bridgeless  noses,  large  nostrils 
and  lips,  but  well-made  limbs  and  feet. 

[We  see  that  the  thread  by  which  he  still  draws  back  a  linger- 
ing word  or  two  from  Stanley  has  not  parted  yet.] 

March  25th.  —  Susi  brought  a  letter  back  from  Mr.  Stanley. 
He  had  a  little  fever,  but  I  hope  he  will  go  on  safely. 

March  26ih. — Rain  of  Masika  chiefly  by  night.  The  Masika 
of  1871  began  on  the  23d  of  March,  and  ended  the  30th  of  April. 

March  21th. — Reading.    Very  heavy  rains. 

March,  2S/h. — Moenyembcgu  asked  for  the  loan  of  a  doti.  He 
is  starving,  and  so  is  the  war-party  at  M'Futu ;  chaining  their  slaves 
together  to  keep  them  from  running  away  to  get  food  anywhere. 


A  PRESENT  TO  THE  SULTAN. 


415 


March  29fh,  SOth,  Blst — Very  rainy  weather.  Am  reading 
"Mungo  Park's  Travels;"  they  look  so  truthful. 

Ajrril  1st,  1872. — Read  Young's  "Search  after  Livingstone;" 
thankful  for  many  kind  words  about  me.  He  writes  like  a  gen- 
tleman. 

AjJril  2d.  —  Making  a  sounding -line  out  of  lint  left  by  Mr. 
Stanley.  Whydah-birds  are  now  building  their  nests.  The  cock- 
bird  brings  fine  grass  seed-stalks  off  the  top  of  my  tembe.  He 
takes  the  end  inside  the  nest  and  pulls  it  all  in,  save  the  ear. 
The  hen  keeps  inside,  constantly  arranging  the  grass  with  all  her 
might,  sometimes  making  the  whole  nest  move  by  her  efforts. 
Feathers  are  laid  in  after  the  grass, 

Ajml  Ath. — We  hear  that  Dugumbe's  men  have  come  to  Ujiji 
with  fifty  tusks.  He  went  down  Lualaba  with  three  canoes  a 
long  way,  and  bought  much  ivory.  They  were  not  molested  by 
Monangungo  as  we  were. 

My  men  whom  I  had  sent  to  look  for  a  book,  left  by  accident 
in  a  hut  some  days'  journey  off,  came  back,  stopped  by  a  flood  in 
their  track.    Copying  observations  for  Sir  T.  Maclear. 

April  8th. — An  x\rab  called  Syed  bin  Mohamad  Magibbe  call- 
ed. He  proposes  to  go  west  to  the  country  west  of  Katanga 
(Urangc). 

[It  is  very  interesting  to  find  that  the  results  of  the  visit  paid 
by  Speke  and  Grant  to  Mteza,  king  of  Uganda,  have  already  be- 
come well  marked.  As  we  see,  Livingstone  was  at  Unyanyembe 
when  a  large  trading-party  dropped  in,  on  their  way  back  to  the 
king,  who,  it  will  be  remembered,  lives  on  the  north-western 
shores  of  the  Victoria  Nyassa.] 

April  dth. — About  one  hundred  and  fifty  Waganga  of  Mtcza 
carried  a  present  to  Syed  Burghash,  sultan  of  Zanzibar,  consisting 
of  ivory  and  a  young  elephant.*  He  spent  all  the  ivory  in  buy- 
ing return  presents  of  gunpowder,  guns,  soap,  brandy,  gin,  etc., 
and  they  have  stowed  it  all  in  this  tembe.  This  morning  they 
have  taken  every  thing  out,  to  see  if  any  thing  is  spoiled.  They 
have  hundreds  of  packages. 

One  of  the  Baganda  told  me  yesterday  that  the  name  of  the 
Deity  is  Dubalc  i.n  his  tongue. 

April  Ibth.—Uung  up  the  sounding-line  on  poles  one  fathom 

•  This  elephant  was  subsequently  sent  by  Dr.  Kirk  to  Sir  Philip  Wodehouse, 
governor  of  Hombay.  AVhen  in  Ziin/.ibar  it  was  perfectly  tame.  We  untk-rstanil  it 
is  now  in  the  possession  of  !Sir  Solar  Jung,  to  whom  it  was  ])rcsentc(l  liy  Sir  Piiilij) 
Wotleliouse. — Ei>. 


416 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


apart  and  tarred  it.  Three  hundred  and  seventy-five  fathoms  of 
five  strands. 

Ptolemy's  geography  of  Central  Africa  seems  to  say  that  the 
science  was  then  (second  century  a.d.)  in  a  state  of  decadence 
from  what  was  known  to  the  ancient  Egyptian  priests,  as  reveal- 
ed to  Herodotus  six  hundred  years  before  his  day  (or  say  B.C. 
440).  They  seem  to  have  been  well  aware,  by  the  accounts  of 
travelers  or  traders,  that  a  great  number  of  springs  contributed 
to  the  origin  of  the  Nile,  but  none  could  be  pointed  at  distinctly 
as  the  "  Fountains,"  except  those  I  long  to  discover,  or  rather  re- 
discover. Ptolemy  seems  to  have  gathered  up  the  threads  of 
ancient  explorations,  and  made  many  springs  (six)  flow  into  two 
lakes  situated  east  and  west  of  each  other — the  space  above  them 
being  unknown.  If  the  Victoria  Lake  were  large,  then  it  and 
the  Albert  would  probably  be  the  lakes  which  Ptolemy  meant, 
and  it  would  be  pleasant  to  call  them  Ptolemy's  sources,  redis- 
covered by  the  toil  and  enterprise  of  our  countrymen,  Speke, 
Grant,  and  Baker;  but  unfortunately  Ptolemy  has  inserted  the 
small  lake  "Coloe"  nearly  where  the  Victoria  Lake  stands,  and 
one  can  not  say  where  his  two  lakes  are.  Of  Lakes  Victoria, 
Bangweolo,  Moero,  Kamolondo — Lake  Lincoln  and  Lake  Albert, 
which  two  did  he  mean?  The  science  in  his  time  was  in  a  state 
of  decadence.  Were  two  lakes  not  the  relics  of  a  greater  num- 
ber previously  known  ?  What  says  the  most  ancient  map  known 
of  Sethos  II.'s  time? 

April  16///. — Went  over  to  visit  Sultan  bin  All,  near  Tabora. 
Country  open,  plains  sloping  very  gently  down  from  low  round- 
ed granite  hills  covered  with  trees.  Rounded  masses  of  the  light- 
gray  granite  crop  out  all  over  them,  but  many  are  hidden  by  the 
trees :  Tabora  slopes  down  from  some  of  the  same  hills  that  over- 
look Kwihara,  where  I  live.  At  the  bottom  of  the  slope  swampy 
land  lies,  and  during  the  Masika  it  is  flooded,  and  runs  westward. 
The  sloping  plain  on  the  north  of  the  central  drain  is  called 
Kaze,  that  on  the  south  is  Tabora,  and  this  is  often  applied  to 
the  whole  space  between  the  hills  north  and  south.  Sultan  bin 
Ali  is  very  hospitable.  He  is  of  the  Bedawee  Arabs,  and  a 
famous  marksman  with  his  long  Arab  gun,  or  matchlock.  He 
often  killed  hares  with  it,  always  hitting  them  in  the  head.  He  is 
about  sixty-five  years  of  age,  black-eyed,  six  feet  high,  and  in- 
clined to  stoutness,  and  his  long  beard  is  nearl}'-  all  gray.  He 
provided  two  bountiful  meals  for  self  and  attendants. 

'Called  on  Mohamad  bin  Nassur  —  recovering  from  sickness. 
He  presented  a  goat  and  a  large  quantity  of  guavas.    He  gave 


SOLEMN  BEFLECTIONS. 


417 


the  news  that  came  from  Dugumbe's  underling,  Nserere,  and  men 
now  at  Ujiji.  They  went  south-west  to  the  country  called  Nom- 
be :  it  is  near  Eua,  and  where  copper  is  smelted.  After  I  left 
them,  on  account  of  the  massacre  at  Nyangwe,  they  bought  much 
ivory  ;  but  acting  in  the  usual  Arab  way,  plundering  and  killing, 
they  aroused  the  Bakuss's  ire,  and,  as  they  are  very  numerous, 
about  two  hundred  were  killed,  and  none  of  Dugumbe's  party. 
They  brought  fifty  tusks  to  Ujiji.  We  dare  tiot  pronounce  pos- 
itively on  any  event  in  life,  but  this  looks  like  prompt  retribu- 
tion on  the  perpetrators  of  the  horrible  and  senseless  massacre  of 
Nyangwe.  It  was  not  vengeance  by  the  relations  of  the  murder- 
ed ones  we  saw  shot  and  sunk  in  the  Lualaba,  for  there  is  no 
communication  between  the  people  of  Nyangwe  and  the  Bakuss, 
or  people  of  Nombe  of  Lomame.  That  massacre  turned  my 
heart  completely  against  Dugumbe's  people.  To  go  with  them 
to  Lomame,  as  my  slaves  were  willing  to  do,  was  so  repugnant,  I 
preferred  to  return  that  weary  four  hundred  or  six  hundred  miles 
to  Ujiji.  I  mourned  over  my  being  baffled  and  thwarted  all  the 
way,  but  tried  to  believe  that  it  was  all  for  the  best.  This  news 
shows  that  had  I  gone  with  these  people  to  Lomame  I  could  not 
have  escaped  the  Bakuss's  spears,  for  I  could  not  have  run  like  the 
routed  fugitives.  I  was  prevented  from  going  in  order  to  save 
me  from  death.  Many  escapes  from  danger  I  am  aware  of:  some 
make  me  shudder,  as  I  think  how  near  to  death's  door  I  came. 
But  how  many  more  instances  of  Providential  protecting  there 
may  be  of  which  I  know  nothing!  But  I  thank  most  sincerely 
the  good  Lord  of  all  for  his  goodness  to  me. 

A2'>ril  IHth. — I  pray  the  good  Lord  of  all  to  favor  me  so  as  to 
allow  me  to  discover  the  ancient  fountains  of  Herodotus ;  and  if 
there  is  any  thing  in  the  under-ground  excavations  to  confirm  the 
precious  old  documents  (to  (itft\!a),  the  Scriptures  of  trutli,  may 
he  permit  me  to  bring  it  to  light,  and  give  me  wisdom  to  make 
a  proper  use  of  it ! 

Some  seem  to  feel  that  their  own  importance  in  the  community 
is  enhanced  by  an  imaginary  connection  with  a  discovery  or  dis- 
coverer of  the  Nile  sources,  and  are  only  too  happy  to  figure,  if 
only  in  a  minor  part,  as  theoretical  di.scovcrcrs — a  theoretical  dis- 
covery being  a  contradiction  in  terms. 

The  cross  has  been  used — not  as  a  Christian  emblem  certainly, 
but  from  time  immemorial  as  the  form  in  which  the  copper  ingot 
of  Katanga  is  moulded:  this  is  met  with  quite  commonly,  and  is 
called  Ilandipld  Mahandi.  Our  capital  letter  I  (called  Vigera)  is 
the  large  form  of  the  bars  of  copper,  each  about  sixty  or  sov- 


418 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUEXALS. 


enty  pounds  weight,  seen  all  over  Central  Africa  and  from  Ka- 
tanga. 

Airril  19th. — A  roll  of  letters  and  newspapers,  apparently,  came 
to-day  for  Mr.  Stanley.  The  messenger  sa^'s  he  passed  Mr.  Stan- 
ley on  the  way,  who  said,  "  Take  this  to  the  doctor :"  this  is  er- 
roneous. The  Prince  of  Wales  is  reported  to  be  dying  of  typhoid 
fever :  the  Princess  Louise  has  hastened  to  his  bedside. 

April  20ih. — Opened  it  on  the  20th,  and  found  nine  New  York 
Heralds  of  December  1-9,  1871,  and  one  letter  for  Mr.  Stanley, 
which  I  shall  forward,  and  one  stick  of  tobacco. 

Ajyril  21st. — Tarred  the  tent  presented  by  Mr.  Stanley. 

Aj^ril  2Sd. — Visited  Kwikuru,  and  saw  the  chief  of  all  the  Ban- 
yamwezi  (around  whose  boma  it  is),  about  sixty  years  old,  and 
partially  paralytic.  He  told  me  that  he  had  gone  as  far  as  Ka- 
tanga by  the  same  Fipa  route  I  now  propose  to  take,  when  a  lit- 
tle boy  following  his  father,  who  was  a  great  trader. 

The  name  Banyamwezi  arose  from  an  ivory  ornament  of  the 
shape  of  the  new  moon  hung  to  the  neck,  with  a  horn  reaching 
round  over  either  shoulder.  They  believe  that  they  came  from 
the  sea-coast,  Mombas  (?)  of  old,  and  when  people  inquired  for 
them,  they  said,  "  We  mean  the  men  of  the  moon  ornament"  It 
is  very  popular  even  now,  and  a  large  amount  of  ivory  is  cut 
down  in  its  manufacture:  some  are  made  of  the  curved  tusks  of 
hippopotami.  The  Banyamwezi  have  turned  out  good  porters, 
and  they  do  most  of  the  carrying  work  of  the  trade  to  and  from 
the  East  Coast:  they  are  strong,  and  trustworthy.  One  I  saw 
carried  six  frasilahs,  or  two  hundred  pounds,  of  ivory,  from  Un- 
yanyembe  to  the  sea-coast. 

The  prefix  "V^«"  in  Nyamwezi  seems  to  mean  place  or  local- 
ity, as  Mya  does  on  the  Zambesi.  If  the  name  referred  to  the 
"  moon  ornament,"  as  the  people  believe,  the  name  would  be  Ba 
or  Wamwezi,  but  Banyamwezi  means  probably  the  Ba,  they,  or 
people — 'Hja,  place — Mwezi,  moon,  people  of  the  moon  locality,  or 
moon-land. 

Unyanyemb(3,  p>lace  of  hoes. 

Unyambewa. 

JJ  ny  an  goma.,  place  of  drums. 
Nyangurud,  pZoce  of  pigs. 
Nyangkondo.. 
Nyarukwe. 

It  must  be  a  sore  affliction  to  be  bereft  of  one's  reason,  and  the 
more  so  if  the  insanity  takes  the  form  of  uttering  thoughts  which 
in  a  sound  state  we  drive  from  us  as  impure. 


CAUSES  OF  FEVER. 


419 


April  2oth,  26th. — A  touch  of  fever  from  exposure. 

April  21th. — Better,  and  thankful.  Zahor  died  of  small -pox 
here,  after  collecting  much  ivory  at  Fipa  and  Urungu.  It  is  all 
taken  up  by  Lewale.* 

The  rains  seem  nearly  over,  and  are  succeeded  by  very  cold 
easterly  winds :  these  cause  fever,  by  checking  the  perspiration, 
and  are  well  known  as  eminently  febrile.  The  Arabs  put  the 
cause  of  the  fever  to  the  rains  drying  up.  In  my  experience,  it 
is  most  unhealthy  during  the  rains  if  one  gets  wet:  the  chill  is 
brought  on,  the  bowels  cease  to  act,  and  fever  sets  in.  Now  it  is 
the  cold  wind  that  operates,  and  possibly  this  is  intensified  by  the 
malaria  of  the  drying-up  surface.  A  chill  from  bathing  on  the 
25th  in  cold  water  gave  me  a  slight  attack. 

May  Isl,  1872. — Unyanyembe:  bought  a  cow  for  eleven  dotis 
of  merikano  (and  two  kanike  for  calf) :  she  gives  milk,  and  this 
makes  me  independent. 

Head  man  of  the  Baganda,  from  whom  I  bought  it,  said,  "  I  go 
off  to  pray."  He  has  been  taught  by  Arabs,  and  is  the  first 
proselyte  they  have  gained.  Baker  thinks  that  the  first  want 
of  Africans  is  to  teach  them  to  want.  Interesting,  seeing  he  was 
bored  almost  to  death  by  Kamrasi  wanting  every  thing  he  had. 

Bought  three  more  cows  and  calves  for  milk:  they  give  a  good 
quantity  enough  for  me  and  mine,  and  are  small  short-horns; 
one  has  a  hump :  two  black,  with  white  spots,  and  one  white,  one 
black,  with  white  face.  The  Baganda  were  well  pleased  with  the 
prices  given,  and  so  am  I.  Finished  a  letter  for  the  Neiu  York 
Herald,  trying  to  enlist  American  zeal  to  stop  the  East  Coast 
slave-trade.    I  pray  for  a  blessing  on  it  from  the  All-Gracious. 

[Through  a  coincidence,  a  singular  interest  attaches  to  this  en- 
try. The  concluding  words  of  the  letter  he  refers  to  are  as  fol- 
lows:] 

"All  I  can  add,  in  my  loncline.ss,  is,  may  Heaven's  rich  blessing 
come  down  on  every  one,  American,  English,  or  Turk,  who  will 
help  to  heal  the  open  sore  of  the  world." 

[It  was  felt  tliat  nothing  could  more  palpably  represent  the 
man,  and  this  quotation  has  consequently  been  inscribed  upon 
the  tablet  erected  to  liis  memory  near  his  grave  in  Westminster 
Abbey.  It  was  noticed  some  time  after  selecting  it  that  Living- 
stone wrote  these  words  exactly  one  year  before  his  death,  which, 
as  we  shall  see,  took  place  on  May  1st,  1873.] 


Lewnlc  appears  to  be  the  title  by  which  the  governor  of  the  town  is  called. 


420 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


May  Sd. — The  entire  population  of  Unyanyembe  called  Arab 
is  eighty  males ;  many  of  these  are  country  born,  and  are  known 
by  the  paucity  of  beard  and  bridgeless  noses,  as  compared  with 
men  from  Muscat.  The  Muscatees  are  more  honorable  than  the 
main-landers,  and  more  brave — altogether  better  looking,  and  bet- 
ter every  way. 

If  we  say  that  the  eighty  so-called  Arabs  here  have  twenty  de- 
pendents each,  one  thousand  five  hundred  or  one  thousand  six 
hundred  is  the  outside  population  of  Unyanyembe  in  connection 
with  the  Arabs.  It  is  called  an  ivory  station  ;  that  means  simply 
that  elephants'  tusks  are  the  chief  articles  of  trade.  But  little 
ivory  comes  to  market :  every  Arab  who  is  able  sends  bands  of 
his  people  to  different  parts  to  trade :  the  land  being  free,  they 
cultivate  patches  of  maize,  dura,  rice,  beans,  etc.,  and  after  one 
or  two  seasons  return  with  what  ivory  they  rnay  have  secured. 
Ujiji  is  the  only  mart  in  the  country,  and  it  is  chiefly  for  oil, 
grain,  goats,  salt,  fish,  beef,  native  produce  of  all  sorts,  and  is  held 
daily.  A  few  tusks  are  sometimes  brought,  but  it  can  scarcely 
be  called  an  ivory  mart  for  that.  It  is  an  institution  begun  and 
carried  on  by  the  natives,  in  spite  of  great  drawbacks  from  un- 
just Arabs.  It  resembles  the  markets  of  Manyuema,  but  is  at- 
tended every  day  by  about  three  hundred  people.  No  dura  has 
been  brought  lately  to  Ujiji,  because  a  Belooch  man  found  the 
son  of  the  chief  of  Mbwara  Island  peeping  in  at  his  women,  and 
beat  the  young  man  so  that  on  returning  home  he  died.  The 
Mbwara  people  always  brought  much  grain  before  that,  but  since 
that  affair  never  come. 

The  Arabs  send  a  few  freemen,  as  heads  of  a  party  of  slaves, 
to  trade.  These  select  a  friendly  chief,  and  spend  at  least  half 
these  goods  brought  in  presents  on  him,  and  in  buying  the  best 
food  the  country  affords  for  themselves.  It  happens  frequently 
that  the  party  comes  back  nearly  empty-handed,  but  it  is  the 
Banians  that  lose,  and  the  Arabs  are  not  much  displeased.  This 
point  is  not  again  occupied  if  it  has  been  a  dead  loss. 

May  Ath. — Many  palavers  about  Mirambo's  death  having  taken 
place,  and  being  concealed.  Arabs  say  that  he  is  a  brave  man, 
and  the  war  is  not  near  its  end.  Some  northern  natives,  called 
Bagoyd,  get  a  keg  of  powder  and  a  piece  of  cloth,  go  and  attack 
a  village,  then  wait  a  month  or  so,  eating  the  food  of  the  captured 
place,  and  come  back  for  stores  again  :  thus  the  war  goes  on. 
Prepared  tracing-paper  to  draw  a  map  for  Sir  Thomas  Maclear. 
Lewalo  invites  me  to  a  feast. 

May  1th. — New  moon  last  night    Went  to  breakfast  with  Lc- 


ORIGIN  OF  PRIMITIVE  FAITH. 


421 


wale.  He  says  that  the  Mirambo  war  is  virtually  against  himself 
as  a  Syed  Majid  man.  They  wish  to  have  him  removed,  and  this 
would  be  a  benefit. 

The  Banyamwezi  told  the  Arabs  that  they  did  not  want  them 
to  go  to  fight,  because  when  one  Arab  was  killed  all  the  rest  ran 
away,  and  the  army  got  frightened. 

"  Give  us  your  slaves  only,  and  we  will  fight,"  say  they. 

A  Magohe  man  gave  charms,  and  they  pressed  Mirambo  sore- 
ly. His  brother  sent  four  tusks  as  a  peaoe-ofiering,  and  it  is 
thought  that  the  end  is  near.  His  mother  was  plundered,  and 
lost  all  her  cattle. 

May  9th. — No  fight,  though  it  was  threatened  yesterday :  they 
all  like  to  talk  a  great  deal  before  striking  a  blow.  They  believe 
that  in  the  multitude  of  counselors  there  is  safety.  Women  sing- 
ing, as  they  pound  their  grain  into  meal,  "  Oh,  the  march  of  Bwa- 
namokolu  to  Katanga!  Oh,  the  march  to  Katanga  and  back 
to  Ujiji! — Oh,  oh,  oh!"  Bwanamokolu  means  the  great,  or  old, 
gentleman.  Batusi  women  are  very  keen  traders,  and  very  po- 
lite and  pleasing  in  their  address  and  pretty  way  of  speaking. 

I  do  not  know  how  the  great  loving  Father  will  bring  all  out 
right  at  last,  but  he  knows  and  will  do  it. 

The  African's  idea  seems  to  be  that  they  are  within  the  power 
of  a  power  superior  to  themselves — apart  from  and  invisible: 
good,  but  frequently  evil  and  dangerous.  This  may  have  been 
the  earliest  religious  feeling  of  dependence  on  a  Divine  power, 
without  any  conscious  feeling  of  its  nature.  Idols  may  have 
come  in  to  give  a  definite  idea  of  superior  power,  and  the  primi- 
tive faith  or  impression  obtained  by  Bevclation  seems  to  have 
mingled  with  their  idolatry,  without  any  sense  of  incongruity. 
(See  Micah,  in  Judges.)* 

The  origin  of  the  primitive  faith  in  Africans  and  others  seems 
always  to  have  been  a  Divine  influence  on  their  dark  minds, 
which  has  proved  persistent  in  all  ages.  One  portion  of  primitive 
belief — the  continued  cxi.stence  of  departed  spirits — seems  to  have 
no  connection  whatever  with  dreams,  or,  as  we  should  say,  with 
"ghost-seeing;"  for  great  agony  is  felt  in  prospect  of  bodily  mu- 
tilation or  burning  of  the  body  after  death,  as  tliat  is  believed  to 
render  return  to  one's  native  land  impossible.  Tliey  feel  as  if  it 
would  shut  them  off  from  all  intercourse  with  relatives  after  death. 
They  would  lose  the  power  of  doing  good  to  those  once  loved, 
and  evil  to  those  who  deserved  their  revenge.    Take  the  case  of 


♦  Judges  xviii. 

29 


422 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


the  slaves  in  the  yoke  singing  songs  of  hate  and  revenge  against 
those  who  sold  them  into  slavery.  They  thought  it  right  so  to 
harbor  hatred,  though  most  of  the  party  bad  been  sold  for  crimes 
— adultery,  stealing,  etc.,  which  they  knew  to  be  sins. 

If  Baker's  expedition  should  succeed  in  annexing  the  valley 
of  the  Nile  to  Egypt,  the  question  arises,  Would  not  the  miser- 
able condition  of  the  natives,  when  subjected  to  all  the  atrocities 
of  the  White  Nile  slave-traders,  be  worse  under  Egyptian  domin- 
ion? The  villages  would  be  farmed  out  to  tax-collectors,  the 
women,  children,  and  boys  carried  off  into  slavery,  and  the  free 
thought  and  feeling  of  the  population  placed  under  the  dead- 
weight of  Islam.  Bad  as  the  situation  now  is,  if  Baker  leaves  it, 
matters  will  grow  worse.  It  is  probable  that  actual  experience 
will  correct  the  fancies  he  now  puts  forth  as  to  the  proper  mode 
of  dealing  with  Africans. 

May  lOlh. — Hamees  Wodin  Tagh,  my  friend,  is  reported  slain 
by  the  Makoa  of  a  large  village  he  went  to  fight.  Other  influ- 
ential Arabs  are  killed,  but  full  information  has  not  yet  arrived. 
He  was  in  youth  a  slave,  but  by  energy  and  good  conduct  in 
trading  with  the  Masai  and  far  south  of  Nyassa  and  elsewhere,  he 
rose  to  freedom  and  wealth.  He  had  s;ood  taste  in  all  his  domes- 
tic 'arrangements,  and  seemed  to  be  a  good  man.  He  showed 
great  kindness  to  me  on  my  arrival  at  Chitimbwa's. 

3Iay  11th. — A  serpent  of  dark  olive  color  was  found  dead  at 
my  door  this  morning,  probably  killed  by  a  cat.  Puss  approaches 
very  cautiously,  and  strikes  her  claws  into  the  head  with  a  blow 
delivered  as  quick  as  lightning;  then  holds  the  head  down  with 
both  paws,  heedless  of  the  wriggling  mass  of  coils  behind  it;  she 
then  bites  the  neck  and  leaves  it,  looking  with  interest  to  the 
disfigured  head,  as  if  she  knew  that  therein  had  lain  the  hidden 
power  of  mischief  She  seems  to  possess  a  little  of  the  nature  of 
the  ichneumon,  which  was  sacred  in  Egypt,  from  its  destroying 
serpents.    The  serpent  was  in  pursuit  of  mice  when  killed  by  puss. 

May  12th. — Singeri,  the  head  man  of  the  Baganda  here,  offered 
me  a,  cow  and  calf  yesterday,  but  I  declined,  as  we  were  strangers 
both,  and  this  is  too  much  for  me  to  take.  I  said  that  I  would 
take  ten  cows  at  Mtesa's  if  he  offered  them.  I  gave  him  a  little 
medicine  (arnica)  for  his  wife,  whose  face  was  burned  by  smoking 
over  gunpowder.    Again  he  pressed  the  cow  and  calf  in  vain. 

The  reported  death  of  Ilamces  Wodin  Tagh  is  contradicted. 
It  was  so  circumstantial  that  I  gave  it  credit,  though  the  false 
reports  in  this  land  are  one  of  its  most  marked  characteristics. 
They  arc  "  enough  to  spear  a  sow." 


CAPITAL  ALLIES. 


423 


Ifaij  lS(h. — He  will  keep  His  word — the  gracious  One,  full  of 
grace  and  truth — no  doubt  of  it.  He  said,  "Him  that  cometh 
unto  me,  I  will  in  nowise  cast  out,"  and  "Whatsoever  ye  shall 
ask  in  my  name  I  will  give  it."  He  will  keep  His  word  :  then 
I  can  come  and  humbly  present  my  petition,  and  it  will  be  all 
right.    Doubt  is  here  inadmissible,  surely.  D.  L. 

iNj-^la's  people,  sent  to  buy  ivory  in  Uganda,  were  coming  back 
with  some  ten  tusks,  and  were  attacked  at  Ugalla  by  robbers  and 
one  free  man  slain:  the  rest  threw  every  thing  down  and  fled. 
They  came  here  with  their  doleful  tale  to-day. 

Mayl^th.  —  People  came  from  Ujiji  to-day,  and  report  that 
many  of  Mohamad  Bogharib's  slaves  have  died  of  small-pox — 
Fundi  and  Suleiman  among  them.  Others  sent  out  to  get  fire- 
wood have  been  captured  by  the  Waha.  Mohamad's  chief  slave, 
Otliman,  went  to  see  the  cause  of  their  losses,  and  received  a  spear 
in  the  back,  the  point  coming  out  at  his  breast.  It  is  scarcely 
possible  to  tell  how  many  of  the  slaves  have  perished  since  they 
were  bought  or  captured,  but  the  loss  has  been  grievous. 

Lewalo  off  to  M'futu  to  loiter,  and  not  to  fight.  The  Bagoye 
do  not  wish  Arabs  to  come  near  the  scene  of  action,  because,  say 
they,  "When  one  Arab  is  killed,  all  the  rest  run  away,  and  they 
.frighten  us  thereby.  Stay  at  M'futu;  we  will  do  all  the  fight- 
ing."   This  is  very  acceptable  advice. 

May  IQth. — A  man  came  from  Ujiji  to  say  one  of  the  party 
at  Kasonga's  reports  that  a  marauding  party  went  thence  to  the 
island  of  Bazula,  north  of  them.  They  ferried  them  to  an  island, 
and  in  confiing  back  they  were  assaulted  by  the  islanders  in  turn. 
They  speared  two  in  canoes  shoving  olf,  and  the  rest,  panic-strick- 
en, took  to  the  water,  and  thirty-five  were  slain.  It  was  a  just 
punishment,  and  shows  what  the  Manyucma  can  do  if  aroused  to 
right  their  wrongs.  No  news  of  Baker's  party ;  but  Abed  and 
Hassani  are  said  to  be  well,  and  far  down  the  Lualaba.  Nassur 
Masudi  is  at  Kasonga's,  probably  afraid  by  the  Zula  slaughter  to 
go  farther.  They  will  shut  their  own  market  against  themselves. 
Lewald  sends  off"  letters  to  the  Sultan  to-day.  I  have  no  news  to 
send,  but  am  waiting  wearily. 

IJay  17//i. — Ailing.  IMuking  cheeses  for  the  journey:  good, 
but  sour  rather,  as  the  milk  soon  turns  in  this  climate,  and  we 
do  not  use  rennet,  but  allow  the  milk  to  coagulate  of  itself,  and  it 
docs  thicken  in  lialf  a  day. 

Afay  IHl/i,  Idt/i. — One  of  Dugumbu's  men  came  to-day  from 
Ujiji.  He  confirms  the  slaughter  of  Matereka's  people,  but  de- 
nies that  of  Dugumbe's  men.   They  went  to  Lomame,  about  eleven 


424 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


daj^s  west,  and  found  it  to  be  about  the  size  of  Lnamo :  it  comes 
from  a  lake,  and  goes  to  Lualaba,  near  the  Kisingitc,  a  cataract. 
Dugumbe  then  sent  his  people  down  Lualaba,  where  much  ivory 
is  to  be  obtained.  They  secured  a  great  deal  of  copper — one 
thousand  thick  bracelets  —  on  the  south-west  of  Nyangwe,  and 
some  ivory,  but  not  so  much  as  they  desired.  No  news  of  Abed. 
Lomame  water  is  black,  and  black  scum  comes  up  in  it. 

May  20th. — Better,  Yery  cold  winds.  The  cattle  of  the  Ba- 
tusi  were  captured  by  the  Arabs  to  prevent  them  going  off  with 
the  Baganda,  my  four  among  them,  I  sent  over  for  them,  and 
they  were  returned  this  morning.  Thirty -five  of  Mohamad's 
slaves  died  of  small-pox. 

Ifay  2lst. — The  genuine  Africans  of  this  region  have  flattened 
nose-bridges;  the  higher' grades  of  the  tribes  have  prominent 
nose-bridges,  and  are  on  this  account  greatly  admired  by  the 
Arabs.  The  Batusi  here,  the  Balunda  of  Casembe,  and  Itawa  of 
Nsama,  and  many  Manyuema,  have  straight  noses;  but  every 
now  and  then  you  come  to  districts  in  which  the  bridgcless  noses 
give  the  air  of  the  low  English  bruiser  class,  or  faces  inclining 
to  King  Charles  the  Second's  spaniels.  The  Arab  progeny  here 
have  scanty  beards,  and  many  grow  to  a  very  great  height — tall, 
gaunt  savages  ;  while  the  Muscatees  have  prominent  nose-bridges, 
good  beards,  and  are  polite  and  hospitable. 

I  wish  I  had  some  of  the  assurance  possessed  by  others,  but  I 
am  oppressed  with  the  apprehension  that,  after  all,  it  may  turn 
out  that  I  have  been  following  the  Congo ;  and  who  would  risk 
being  put  into  a  cannibal  pot,  and  converted  into  a  black  man, 
for  it? 

3fay  22d. — Baganga  are  very  black,  with  a  tinge  of  copper  col- 
or in  some.    Bridgeless  noses  all. 

3fay  23d. — There  seems  but  little  prospect  of  Christianity 
spreading  by  ordinary  means  among  Mohammedans.  Their  pride 
is  a  great  obstacle,  and  is  very  industriously  nurtured  by  its  vo- 
taries. No  new  invention  or  increase  of  power  on  the  part  of 
Christians  seem  to  disturb  the  self-complacent  belief  that  ulti- 
mately all  power  and  dominion  in  this  world  will  fall  into  the 
hands  of  Moslems.  Mohammed  will  appear  at  last  in  glory,  with 
all  his  followers  saved  by  him.  Wlien  Mr.  Stanley's  Arab  bo) 
from  Jerusalem  told  the  Arab  bin  Saleh  that  he  was  a  Christian, 
he  was  asked,  "Why  so?  don't  you  know  that  all  the  world  will 
soon  be  Mohammedan?  Jerusalem  is  ours,  all  the  world  is  ours, 
and  in  a  short  time  we  shall  overcome  all."'  Theirs  are  frreat 
expectations ! 


CHILD- SELLING. 


425 


A  family  of  ten  whydah-birds  {Yidua  purpureci)  come  to  the 
pomegranate-trees  in  our  yard.  The  eight  young  ones,  full-fledged, 
are  fed  by  the  dam,  as  young  pigeons  are.  The  food  is  brought 
up  from  the  crop  without  the  bowing  and  bending  of  the  pigeon. 
They  chirrup  briskly  for  food:  th^  dam  gives  most,  while  the 
red -breasted  cock  gives  one  or  two,  and  then  knocks  the  rest 
away. 

May  24:(h. — Speke,  at  Kasenge  Islet,  inadvertently  made  a  gen- 
eral statement  thus:  "The  mothers  of  these  savage  people  have 
infinitely  less  affection  than  many  savage  beasts  of  my  acquaint- 
ance. I  have  seen  a  mother-bear,  galled  by  frequent  shots,  obsti- 
nately meet  her  death  by  repeatedly  returning  under  fire  while 
endeavoring  to  rescue  her  young  from  the  grasp  of  intruding 
men.  But  here,  for  a  simple  loin-cloth  or  two,  human  mothers 
eagerly  exchanged  their  little  offspring,  delivering  them  into  per- 
petual bondage  to  my  Beluch  soldiers."  —  Speke,  pp.234:,  235. 
For  the  sake  of  the  little  story  of  "  a  bear-mother,"  Speke  made 
a  general  assertion  on  a  very  small  and  exceptional  foundation. 
Frequent  inquiries  among  the  most  intelligent  and  far-traveled 
Arabs  failed  to  find  confirmation  of  this  child-selling,  except  in 
the  very  rare  case  of  a  child  cutting  the  upper  front  teeth  before 
the  under,  and  because  this  child  is  believed  to  be  "  moiko"  {un- 
luchij),  and  certain  to  bring  death  into  the  family.  It  is  called  an 
Arab  child,  and  sold  to  the  first  Arab,  or  even  left  at  his  door. 
This  is  the  only  case  the  Arabs  know  of  child -selling.  Speke 
had  only  two  Beluch  soldiers  with  him,  and  the  idea  that  they 
loaded  themselves  with  infants  at  once  stamps  the  tale  as  fabu- 
lous. He  may  have  seen  one  sold — an  extremely  rare  and  ex- 
ceptional case;  but  the  inferences  drawn  are  just  like  that  of  the 
Frenchman  who  thought  the  English  so  partial  to  suicide  in  No- 
vember that  they  might  be  seen  suspended  from  trees  in  the  com- 
mon highways. 

In  crossing  Tanganyika  three  several  times,  I  was  detained  at 
the  islet  Kasenge  about  ten  weeks  in  all.  On  each  occasion  Arab 
traders  were  present,  all  eager  to  buy  slaves,  but  none  were  offer- 
ed ;  and  they  assured  me  that  they  had  never  seen  the  habit  al- 
leged to  exist  by  Speke,  though  they  had  heard  of  the  "  unlucky  " 
cases  referred  to.  Every  one  has  known  of  poor  little  foundlings 
in  England,  but  our  mothers  are  not  credited  with  less  affection 
than  she-bears. 

I  would  say  to  missionaries,  Come  on,  brethren,  to  the  real 
heathen.  You  liavc  no  idea  how  brave  you  arc  till  you  try. 
Leaving  the  coast  tribes,  and  devoting  yourselves  heartily  to  the 


426 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


savages,  as  they  are  called,  you  will  find,  with  some  drawbacks 
and  wickednesses,  a  very  great  deal  to  admire  and  love.  Many 
statements  made  about  them  require  confirmation.  You  will 
never  see  women  selling  their  infants:  the  Arabs  never  did,  nor 
have  I.    An  assertion  of  the  kind  was  made  by  mistake. 

Captive  children  are  often  sold,  but  not  by  .their  mothers. 
Famine  sometimes  reduces  fathers  to  part  with  them,  but  the  sell- 
ing of  children,  as  a  general  practice,  is  quite  unknown,  and,  as 
Speke  put  it,  quite  a  mistake. 

May  2oih^  2(3ih. — Cold  weather.  Lewalc  sends  for  all  Arabs  to 
make  a  grand  assault,  as  it  is  now  believed  that  Mirambo  is  dead, 
and  only  his  son,  with  few  people,  remain. 

Two  whydah-birds,  after  their  nest  was  destroyed  several  times, 
now  try  again  in  another  pomegranate-tree  in  the  yard.  They 
put  back  their  eggs,  as  they  have  the  power*  to  do,  and  build 
again. 

The  trout  has  the  power  of  keeping  back  the  ova  when  cir- 
cumstances are  unfavorable  to  their  deposit.  She  can  quite  ab- 
sorb the  whole,  but  occasionally  the  absorbents  have  too  much  to 
do;  the  ovarium,  and  eventually  the  whole  abdomen,  seems  in  a 
state  of  inflammation,  as  when  they  are  trying  to  remove  a  mor- 
tified human  limb;  and  the  poor  fish,  feeling  its  strength  leaving 
it,  true  to  instinct,  goes  to  the  entrance  to  the  burn  where  it  ought 
to  have  spawned,  and,  unable  to  ascend,  dies.  The  defect  is  prob- 
ably the  want  of  the  aid  of  a  milter. 

Ifay  27ih. — Another  pair  of  the  kind  (in  which  the  cock  is  red- 
breasted)  had  ten  chickens;  also  rebuilds  afresh.  The  red  cock- 
bird  feeds  all  the  brood.  Each  little  one  puts  his  head  on  one 
side  as  he  inserts  his  bill,  chirruping  briskly,  and  bothering  him. 
The  young  ones  lift  up  a  feather  as  a  child  would  a  doll,  and  in- 
vite others  to  do  the  same,  in  play.  So,  too,  with  another  pair. 
The  cock  skips  from  side  to  side  with  a  feather  in  his  bill,  and 
the  hen  is  pleased:  nature  is  full  of  enjoyment.  Near  Kasangnn- 
ga's  I  saw  boys  shooting  locusts  that  settled  on  the  ground  with 
little  bows  and  arrows. 

Cock  whydah-bird  died  in  the  night.  The  brood  came  and 
chirruped  to  it  for  food,  and  tried  to  make  it  feed  them,  as  if  not 
knowing  death ! 

A  wagtail  dam  refused  its  young  a  caterpillar  till  it  had  been 
killed:  she  ran  away  from  it,  but  then  gave  it  when  ready  to  be 
swallowed.  The  first  smile  of  an  infixnt,  with  its  toothless  gums, 
is  one  of  the  pleasantest  sights  in  nature.  It  is  innocence  claim- 
ing kinship,  and  asking  to  be  loved  in  its  helplessness. 


I 


VEGETABLE  PRODUCTS. 


427 


May  28th. — Many  parts  of  this  interior  land  present  most  in- 
viting prospects  for  well-sustained  efforts  of  private  benevolence. 
Karague,  for  instance,  with  its  intelligent  friendly  chief,  Kumain- 
yika  (Speke's  Rumanika),  and  Bouganda,  with  its  teeming  popu- 
lation, rain,  and  friendly  chief,  who  could  easily  be  swayed  by  an 
energetic,  prudent  missionary.  The  evangelist  must  not  depend 
on  foreign  support  other  than  an  occasional  supply  of  beads  and 
calico  :  coffee  is  indigenous,  and  so  is  sugar-cane.  When  detain- 
ed b}''  ulcerated  feet  in  Manyuema,  I  made  sugar  by  pounding  the 
cane  in  the  common  wooden  mortar  of  the  country,  squeezing 
out  the  juice  very  bard,  and  boiling  it  till  thick ;  the  defect  it 
had  was  a  latent  acidity,  for  which  I  had  no  lime,  and  it  soon 
all  fermented.  I  saw  sugar  afterward  at  Ujiji  made  in  the  same 
wa}^,  and  that  kept  for  months.  Wheat  and  rice  are  cultivated 
by  the  Arabs  in  all  this  upland  region  ;  the  only  thing  a  mission- 
ary needs  in  order  to  secure  an  abundant  supply  is  to  follow  the 
Arab  advice  as  to  the  proper  season  for  sowing.  Pomegranates,, 
guavas,  lemons,  and  oranges  are  abundant  in  Unyanyembe ; 
mangoes  flourish,  and  grape-vines  are  beginning  to  be  cultivated  ; 
papaws  grow  everywhere.  Onions,  radishes,  pumpkins,  and  wa- 
ter-melons prosper,  and  so  woul-d  most  European  vegetables,  if 
the  proper  seasons  were  selected  for  planting,  and  the  most  im- 
portant point  attended  to  in  bringing  the  seeds.  These  must 
never  be  soldered  in  tins  or  put  in  close  boxes ;  a  process  of 
sweating  takes  place  when  they  are  confined,  as  in  a  box  or  hold 
of  the  ship,  and  the  power  of  vegetating  is  destroyed ;  but  gar- 
den seeds  put  up  in  common  brown  paper,  and  hung  in  the  cabin 
on  the  voyage,  and  not  exposed  to  the  direct  ra\-s  of  the  sun  af- 
terward, I- have  found  to  be  as  good  as  in  England. 

It  would  be  a  sort  of  Robinson  Crusoe  life,  but  with  abundant 
materials  for  surrounding  one's  self  with  comforts,  and  improving 
the  improvable  among  the  natives.  Clothing  would  require  but 
small  expense:  four  suits  of  strong  tweed  served  me  comfortably 
for  five  yeans.  Woolen  clothing  is  the  best :  if  all  wool,  it  wears 
long,  and  prevents  chilLs.  The  temperature  here  in  the  begin- 
ning of  winter  ranges  from  62°  to  75°  Fahr.  In  summer  it  .sel- 
dom goes  above  84°,  as  the  country  generally  is  from  three  thou- 
sand six  hundred  to  four  thousand  feet  high.  Gently  undulating 
plains,  with  outcropping  tree-covered  granite  hills  on  the  ridges, 
and  springs  in  valleys,  will  serve  as  a  description  of  the  country. 

May  29l/i. — Ilalima  ran  away,  in  a  quarrel  with  Ntaoeka :  I 
went  over  to  Sultan  bin  Ali  and  sent  a  note  after  her,  but  she 
came  back  of  her  own  accord,  and  only  wanted  me  to  come  out- 


428 


LiriXGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


side  and  tell  her  to  enter.  I  did  so,  and  added,  "You  must  not 
quarrel  again."  She  has  been  extremely  good  ever  since  I  got 
her  from  Katombo  or  Moenemokaia  :  I  never  had  to  reprove  her 
once.  She  is  always  very  attentive  and  clever,  and  never  stole, 
nor  would  she  allow  her  husband  to  steal.  She  is  the  best  spoke 
in  the  wheel.  This,  her  only  escapade,  is  easily  foi'given,  and  I 
gave  her  a  warm  cloth  for  the  cold,  by  way  of  assuring  her  that 
I  had  no  grudge  against  her.  I  shall  free  her,  and  buy  her  a 
house  and  garden  at  Zanzibar,  when  we  get  there.*  Smokes  or 
haze  begin,  and  birds,  stimulated  by  the  cold,  build  briskl}'. 

May  BOthy  Sunday. — Sent  over  to  Sultau  bin  Ali,  to  write  an- 
other note  to  Lewale,  to  say  first  note  not  needed. 

May  31st. — The  so-called  Arab  war  with  Mirambo  drags  its 
slow  length  along  most  wearil}'.  After  it  is  over,  then  we  shall 
get  Banyamwezi  pagazi  in  abundance.  It  is' not  now  known 
whether  Mirambo  is  alive  or  not :  some  say  that  he  died  long 
ago,  and  his  son  keeps  up  his  state  instead. 

In  reference  to  this  Nile  source  I  have  been  kept  in  perpetual 
doubt  and  perplexity.  I  know  too  much  to  be  positive.  Great 
Lualaba,  or  Lualubba,  as  Manyuema  say,  may  turn  out  to  be  the 
Congo  and  Nile — a  shorter  river,  after  all:  the  fountains  flowing 
north  and  south  seem  in  favor  of  its  being  the  Nile.  Great  west- 
ins^  is  in  favor  of  the  Congo.  It  would  be  comfortable  to  be 
positive  like  Baker.  "Every  drop  from  the  passing  shower  to 
the  roaring  mountain  torrent  must  fall  into  Albert  Lake,  a  giant 
at  its  birth."    How  soothing  to  be  positive! 

June  1st,  1872. — Yisited  by  Jemadar  Hamees  from  Katanga, 
who  gives  the  following  information : 

Unyanyembe,  Tuesday.  —  Hamees  bin  Jumaadarsabel,  a  Be- 
luch,  came  here  from  Katanga  to-day.  He  reports  that  the 
three  Portuguese  traders,  Juo,  Domasiko,  and  Domasho,  came  to 
Katanga  from  Matiamvo.  They  bought  quantities  of  ivory  and 
returned:  they  were  carried  in  mashilahsf  by  slaves.  This  Ha- 
mees gave  them  pieces  of  gold  from  the  rivulet  there,  between 
the  two  copper  or  malachite  hills,  from  which  copper  is  dug.  He 
says  that  Tipo  Tipo  is  now  at  Katanga,  and  has  purchased  much 
ivory  from  Kayoniba,  or  Kayombo,  in  Rua.  He  offers  to  guide 
me  thither,  going  first  to  Mercrcs,  where  Amran  IMasudi  has 
now  the  upper  hand,  and  Merere  offers  to  pay  all  the  losses  he 
has  caused  to  Arabs  and  others.    Two  letters  were  sent  by  the 

*  Hiilima  followed  the  doctor's  remains  to  Zanzibar.    It  does  seem  hard  tlint  his 

death  leaves  her  long  services  entirely  unrequited. — Eu. 
t  The  Portuguese  name  for  palaiujiiin. 


CALCULATIONS. 


429 


Portuguese  to  the  East  Coast;  one  is  in  Araran's  hands.  Hamees 
Wodiu  Tagh  is  alive  and  well.  These  Portuguese  went  nowhere 
from  Katanga,  so  that  they  have  not  touched  the  sources  of  the 
Nile,  for  which  I  am  thankful. 

Tipo  Tipo  has  made  friends  with  Merosi,  the  Monyamweze 
head  man  at  Katanga,  by  marrying  his  daughter,  and  has  formed 
the  plan  of  assaulting  Casembe  in  conjunction  with  him,  because 
Casembe  put  six  of  Tipo  Tipo's  men  to  death.  He  will  now  be 
digging  gold  at  Katanga  till  this  man  returns  with  gunpowder. 

[Many  busy  calculations  are  met  with  here  which  are  too  in- 
volved to  be  given  in  detail.  At  one  point  we  see  a  rough  con- 
jecture as  to  the  length  of  the  road  through  Fipa.] 

On  looking  at  the  projected  route  by  Merere's,  I  see  that  it  will 
be  a  saving  of  a  large  angle  into  Fipa  =  350'  into  Basango  coun- 
try south-south-west,  or  south  and  by  west;  this  comes  into  lat. 
10'  S.,  and  from  this  west-south-west  400'  to  long,  of  Katanga, 
skirting  Bangweolo  south  shore  in  12°  S.  =  the  whole  distance 
750',  say  900'. 

[Farther  on  we  see  that  he  reckoned  on  his  work  occupying 
him  till  1874.] 

If  Stanley  arrived  the  1st  of  May  at  Zanzibar:  allow  =  twenty 
days  to  get  men  and  settle  with  them  =  May  20th,  men  leave 
Zanzibar  22d  of  May  =  now  1st  of  June. 


14th  of  Junc=:Stanley  being  away  now  three  months;  say  he 
left  Zanzibar  24tli  of  May  =  at  Aden  1st  of  June  =:  Suez,  8th  of 
June,  near  Malta  14th  of  June. 

Stanley's  men  may  arrive  in  July  next.  Then  engage  pagazi 
half  a  month  =  August,  five  months  of  this  year  will  remain  for 
journey,  the  whole  of  1873  will  be  swallowed  up  in  work;  but 
in  February  or  March,  1874,  please  the  Almighty  Disposer  of 
events,  I  shall  complete  my  task  and  retire. 

June  2d.  —  A  second  crop  here,  as  in  Angola.  The  lemons 
and  pomegranates  are  flowering  and  putting  out  young  fruits 
anew,  though  the  crops  of  each  have  just  been  gathered.  Wheat 
planted  a  month  ago  is  now  a  foot  high,  and  in  three  months 
will  be  harvested.  The  rice  and  dura  are  being  reaped,  and  the 
hoes  arc  busy  getting  virgin  land  ready.    Beans,  and  Madagas- 


On  the  road  may  be  

Still  to  come  30  days,  June  

Ought  to  an  ive  10th  or  15th  of  July 


10  days. 
30  " 


40  " 


430 


LIVINGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


car  under- ground  beans,  voandzeia,  and  ground-nuts  are  ripe 
now.  Mangoes  are  formed.  The  weather  feels  cold,  min.  62°, 
max.  74°,  and  stimulates  the  birds  to  pair  and  build,  though  they 
are  of  broods  scarcely  weaned  from  being  fed  by  their  parents. 
Bees  swarm,  and  pass  over  us.  Sky  clear,  with  fleec}'  clouds 
here  and  there. 

June  7(h. — Sultan  bin  Ali  called.  He  says  that  the  path  by 
Fipa  is  the  best:  it  has  plenty  of  game,  and  people  are  friendly 
By  going  to  Amran,  I  should  get  into  the  vicinity  of  Mererd,  and 
possibly  be  detained,  as  the  country  is  in  a  state  of  war.  The 
Belucli  would  naturally  wish  to  make  a  good  thing  of  me,  as  he 
did  of  Speke.  I  gave  him  a  cloth, 'and  arranged  the  Sungo- 
maze  beads,  but  the  box  and  beads  weigh  one  hundred  and  forty 
pounds,  or  two  men's  loads.  I  visited  Lewale.  Heard  of  Baker 
going  to  Unyoro  Water,  Lake  Albert.  Lewal^  praises  the  road 
by  Moeneyungo  and  Merere,  and  says  he  will  give  a  guide,  but 
he  never  went  that  way. 

June  10th.  —  Othman,  our  guide  from  Ujiji  hither,  called  to- 
day, and  says  positively  that  the  way  by  Fipa  is  decidedly  the 
shortest  and  easiest :  there  is  plenty  of  game,  and  the  people  are 
all  friendly.  He  reports  that  Mirambo's  head  man,  Merungwe, 
was  assaulted  and  killed,  and  all  his  food,  cattle,  and  grain  used. 
Mirambo  remains  alone.  He  has,  it  seems,  inspired  terror  in  the 
Arab  and  Banyamwezi  mind  by  his  charms,  and  he  will  proba- 
bly be  allowed  to  retreat  north  by  flight,  and  the  war  for  a  sea- 
son close ;  if  so,  we  shall  get  plenty  of  Banyamwezi  pagazi,  and 
be  off,  for  which  I  earnestly  long  and  pray. 

June  ISih. — Sangara,  one  of  Mr.  Stanley's  men,  returned  from 
Bagaraoio,  and  reports  that  my  caravan  is  at  Ugogo.  He  ar- 
rived to-day,  and  reports  that  Stanley  and  the  American  consul 
acted  like  good  fellows,  and  soon  got  a  party  of  over  fifty  ofi", 
as  he  heard  while  at  Bagamoio,  and  he  left.  The  main  body,  he 
thinks,  are  in  Ugogo.  He  came  on  with  the  news,  but  the  let- 
ters were  not  delivered  to  him.  I  do  most  fervently  thank  the 
good  Lord  of  all  for  his  kindness  to  me  through  these  gentle- 
men. The  men  will  come  here  about  the  end  of  this  month. 
Bombay  happily  pleaded  sickness  as  an  excuse  for  not  re-en- 
gaging, as  several  others  have  done.  He  saw  that  T  got  a  clear 
view  of  his  failings,  and  he  could  not  hope  to  hoodwink  me. 

After  Sangara  came,  I  went  over  to  Kukuru  to  see  what  the 


♦  It  will  be  seen  that  this  was  fully  confirmed  nfterwai  d  by  Livingstone's  men  :  the 
fact  may  be  of  imiwrtance  to  future  travelers. — Ed. 


DOUBTS  OF  SAXGARA'S  VERACITY. 


431 


LewaM  had  received,  but  he  was  absent  at  Tabora.  A  great  deal 
of  sliouting,  firing  of  guns,  and  circumgyration  by  the  men  who 
had  come  from  the  war  just  outside  the  stockade  of  Nkasiwa 
(which  is  surrounded  by  a  hedge  of  dark  euphorbia,  and  stands 
in  a  level  hollow),  was  going  on  as  we  descended  the  gentle  slope 
toward  it.  Two  heads  had  been  put  up  as  trophies  in  the  village, 
and  it  was  asserted  that  Marukwe,  a  chief  man  of  Mirambo,  had 
been  captured  at  Uvinza,  and  his  head  would  soon  come  too.  It 
actually  did  come,  and  was  put  upon  a  pole. 

I  am  most  unfeignedly  thankful  that  Stanley  and  Webb  have 
acted  nobly. 

June  14:th. — On  June  22d  Stanley  was  one  hundred  days  gone  : 
he  must  be  in  London  now. 

Syed  bin  Mohamad  ^Margibbd  called  to  say  that  he  was  going 
ofif  toward  Katanga  to-morrow  by  way  of  Amran.  I  feel  inclined 
to  go  by  way  of  Fipa.  rather,  though  I  should  much  like  to  visit 
Mercrc.  By-the-bj^e,  he  says  too  that  the  so-called  Portuguese 
had  filed  teeth,  and  are  therefore  Mambarre. 

June  Ibth. — Lewal(i  doubts  Sangara,  on  account  of  having 
brought  no  letters.  Nothing  can  be  believed  in  this  land  unless 
it  is  in  black  and  white,  and  but  little  even  then  :  the  most  cir- 
cumstantial details  are  often  mere  figments  of  the  brain.  The 
one  half  one  hears  may.  safely  be  called  false,  and  the  other  half 
doubtful,  or  not  proven. 

Sultan  bin  Ali  doubts  Sangara's  statements  also,  but  says,  "Let 
us  wait  and  see  the  men  arrive,  to  confirm  or  reject  them."  I 
incline  to  belief,  because  he  says  that  he  did  not  see  the  men, 
but  heard  of  them  at  Bacramoio. 

June  16th. — Nsaid  chief,  Msalala,  came  selling  from  Sakuma, 
on  the  north — a  jocular  man,  always  a  favorite  with  the  ladies, 
lie  offered  a  hoe  as  a  token  of  friendship,  but  I  bought  it,  as  we 
are,  I  hope,  soon  going  off,  and  it  clears  the  tent  floor  and  ditch 
round  it  in  wet  weather. 

Mirambo  made  a  sortie  against  a  head  man  in  alliance  with  the 
Arabs,  and  was  quite  successful,  which  shows  that  he  is  not  so 
much-  reduced  as  report  said. 

Boiling  points  to-day  about  9  A.M.  There  is  a  full  degree  of  dif-^ 
ference  between  boiling  in  an  open  pot  and  in  Casella's  apparatus. 

205°-l  open  pot  Kqo  • 
206°-l  Casella  \ 

About  two  hundred  Baguha  came  here,  briiif^inu  much  ivorv 
and  palm-oil  for  sale,  because  there  is  no  market  nor  goods  at 


432 


LirimsToxE's  last  journals. 


Ujiji  for  tbe  produce.  A  few  people  came  also  from  Buganda, 
bringing  four  tusks  and  an  invitation  to  Syed  Barghash.  to,  send 
for  two  housefuls  of  ivory  which  Mtdza  has  collected. 

June  ld>th. — Sent  over  a  little  quinine  to  Sultan  bin  Ali — he  is 
ailing  of  fever — and  a  glass  of  "  moiko,"  the  shameful ! 

The  Ptolemaic  map  defines  people  according  to  their  food. 
The  Elephantophagi,  the  Struthiophagi,  the  Ichthyophagi,  and 
Anthropophagi.  If  we  followed  the  same  sort  of  classification, 
our  definition  would  be  the  drink,  thus :  the  tribe  of  stout-guz- 
zlers, the  roaring  potheeu-fuddlers,  the  whisky-fishoid-drinkers, 
the  vin-ordinaire-bibbers,  the  lager-beer-swillers,  and  an  outlying 
tribe  of  the  brandy-cocktail  persuasion. 

[His  keen  enjoyment  in.  noticing  the  habits  of  animals  and 
birds  serves  a  good  purpose  while  waiting  wearily  and  listening 
to  disputed  rumors  concerning  the  Zanzibar  pbrters.  The  lit- 
tle orphan-birds  seem  to  get  on  somehow  or  other;  perhaps  the 
Englishman's  eye  was  no  bad  protection,  and  his  pity  toward  the 
fledglings  was  a  good  lesson,  we  will  hope,  to  the  children  around 
the  tembe  at  Kwihara.] 

June  l%th. — "Whydahs,  though  full  fledged,  still  gladly  take  a 
feed  from  their  dam,  putting  down  the  breast  to  the  ground,  and 
cocking  up  the  bill  and  chirruping  in  the  most  engaging  manner 
and  winning  way  they  know.  She  still  gives  them  a  little,  but 
administers  a  friendly  shove  off  too.  They  all  pick  up  feathers 
or  grass,  and  liop  from  side  to  side  of  their  mates,  as  if  saying, 
"Come,  let  us  play  at  making  little  houses."  The  wagtail  has 
shaken  her  young  quite  off,  and  has  a  new  nest.  She  warbles 
prettily,  very  mucb  like  a  canary,  and  is  extremely  active  in 
catching  flies,  but  cats  crumbs  of  bread-and-milk  too.  Sun-birds 
visit  the  pomegranate  flowers  and  eat  insects  therein  too,  as  well 
as  nectar.  The  young  whydah-birds  crouch  closely  together  at 
night  for  heat.  They  look  like  a  woolly  ball  on  a  branch.  By 
day  they  engage  in  pairing,  and  coaxing  each  other.  They  come 
to  the  same  twig  every  night.  Like  children,  they  try  and  lift 
heavy  weights  of  feathers  above  their  strength. 

[How  fully  he  hoped  to  reach  the  hill  from  which  he  supposed 
the  Nile  to  flow,  is  shown  in  the  following  words  written  at  this 
time :] 

I  trust  in  Providence  still  to  help  me.  I  know  the  four  riv- 
ers, Zambesi,  Kafuc,  Luapula,  and  Loinamc;  their  fountains  must 
exist  in  one  region. 

An  influential  Muganda  is  dead  of  dysentery  :  no  medicine  had 


INDUSTEY  OF  THE  WOMEX. 


433 


any  effect  in  stopping  the  progress  of  the  disease.  This  is  much 
colder  than  his  country.    Another  is  blind  from  ophthalmia. 

Great  hopes  are  held  that  the  war  which  has  lasted  a  full  year 
will  now  be  brought  to  a  close,  and  Mirambo  either  be  killed  or 
flee.  As  he  is  undoubtedly  an  able  man,  his  flight  may  involve 
much  trouble  and  guerrilla  warfare. 

Clear  cold  weather,  and  sickly  for  those  who  have  only  thin 
clothing,  and  not  all  covered. 

The  women  work  very  hard  in  providing  for  their  husbands' 
kitchens.  The  rice  is  the  most  easily  prepared  grain :  three 
women  stand  round  a  huge  wooden  mortar  with  pestles  in  their 
hands^  a  gallon  or  so  of  the  unhusked  rice — called  mopunga  here, 
and  paddy  in  India  —  is  poured  in,  and  the  three  heavy  pestles 
worked  in  exact  time ;  each  jerks  up  her  body  as  she  lifts  the 
pestle  and  strikes  it  into  the  mortar  with  all  her  might,  lighten- 
ing the  labor  with  some  wild  ditty  the  while,  though  one  hears, 
by  the  strained  voice,  that  she  is  nearly  out  of  breath.  When  the 
husks  are  pretty  well  loosened,  the  grain  is  put  into  a  large  plate- 
shaped  basket  and  tossed,  so  as  to  bring  the  chaff  to  one  side ; 
the  vessel  is  then  heaved  downward,  and  a  little  horizontal  mo- 
tion given  to  it,  which  throws  the  refuse  out ;  the  partially  clear- 
ed grain  is  now  returned  to  the  mortar,  again  pounded  and  clear- 
ed of  husks,  and  a  semicircular  toss  of  the  vessel  sends  all  the 
remaining  unhusked  grain  to  one  side,  which  is  lifted  out  with 
the  hand,  leaving  the  chief  part  quite  clean  :  they  certainly  work 
hard  and  well.  The  maize  requires  more  labor  by  far:  it  is  first 
pounded  to  remove  the  outer  scales  from  the  grain,  then  steeped 
for  three  days  in  water,  then  pounded,  the  scales  again  separated  by 
the  shallow-basket  tossings,  then  pounded  fine,  and  the  fine  white 
flour  separated  by  the  basket  from  certain  hard  rounded  particles, 
which  are  cooked  as  a  sort  of  granular  porridge — "  mt3'ellc." 

When  Ntaoeka  chose  to  follow  us  rather  than  go  to  the  coast, 
I  did  not  like  to  have  a  fine-looking  woman  among  us  unattach- 
ed, and  proposed  that  she  should  marry  one  of  my  three  worthies, 
Chuma,  Gardner,  or  Mabruki,  but  she  smiled  at  tin-  idea.  Chuma 
was  evidently  too  lazy  ever  to  get  a  wife;  the  other  two  were 
contemptible  in  ap[)carance,  and  she  has  a  good  presence,  and  is 
buxom.  Chuma  promised  reform :  he  had  been  lazy,  he  admit- 
ted, because  he  had  no  wife.  Circumstances  led  to  the  other  wom- 
en wishing  Ntaoeka  married,  and  on  my  speaking  to  her  again 
she  consented.  I  have  noticed  her  ever  since  working  hard  from 
morning  to  night:  the  first  up  in  the  cold  mornings,  making  fire 
and  hot  water,  pounding,  carrying  water,  wood,  sweeping,  cooking. 


434 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


June  21st. — No  jugglery  or  sleiglit-of-hand,  as  was  recommend- 
ed to  Napoleon  III.,  would  have  any  effect  in  the  civilization  of 
tlie  Africans ;  they  have  too  much  good  sense  for  that.  Nothing 
brings  them  to  place  thorough  confidence  in  Europeans  but  a 
long  course  of  well-doing.  They  believe  readily  in  the  super- 
natural as  effecting  any  new  process  or  feat  of  skill,  for  it  is  part 
of  their  original  faith  to  ascribe  every  thing  above  human  agen- 
cy to  unseen  spirits.  Goodness  or  unselfishness  impresses  their 
minds  more  than  any  kind  of  skill  or  power.  They  say,  "  You 
have  different  hearts  from  ours;  all  black  men's  hearts  are  bad, 
but  yours  are  good."  The  prayer  to  Jesus  for  a  new  heart  and 
right  spirit  at  once  commends  itself  as  appropriate.  Music  has 
great  influence  on  those  who  have  musical  ears,  and  often  leads 
to  conversion. 

[Here  and  there  he  gives  more  items  of  intelligence  from  the 
war,  which  afford  a  perfect  representation  of  the  rumors  and  con- 
tradictions which  harass  the  listener  in  Africa,  especially  if  he  is 
interested,  as  Livingstone  was,  in  the  re-establishment  of  peace 
between  the  combatants.] 

Lewale  is  off  to  the  war  with  Mirambo:  he  is  to  finish  it  now. 
A  continuous  fusillade  along  his  line  of  march  west  will  expend 
much  powder,  but  possibly  get  the  spirits  up.  If  successful,  we 
shall  get  Banyamwezi  pagazi  in  numbers. 

•Mirambo  is  reported  to  have  sent  one  hundred  tusks  and  one 
hundred  slaves  toward  the  coast  to  buy  gunpowder.  If  true, 
the  war  is  still  far  from  being  finished ;  but  falsehood  is  fash- 
ionable. • 

June  — Went  over  to  Kwikuru  and  engaged  Mohamad 
bin  Syde  to  speak  to  Nkasiwa  for  pagazi ;  he  wishes  to  go  him- 
self. The  people  sent  by  Mirambo  to  buy  gunpowder  in  Ugogo 
came  to  Kitambi :  he  reported  the  matter  to  Nkasiwa  that  they 
had  come,  and  gave  them  pombe.  When  Lewale  heard  it,  he 
said,  "Why  did  Kitambi  not  kill  them?  he  is  a  partaker  in  Mi- 
rambo's  guilt."  A  large  gathering  yesterday  at  M'futu  to  make 
an  assault  on  the  last  stockade  in  hostility. 

[A  few  notes  in  another  pocket-book  arc  placed  under  this 
date.  Thus:] 

June  24:th. — A  continuous  covering  of  forests  is  a  sign  of  a 
virgin  countrj^.  The  earlier  seats  of  civilization  are  bare  and 
treeless,  according  to  Humboldt.  The  civilization  of  the  human 
race  sets  bounds  to  tlie  increase  of  forests.    It  is  but  recently 


NILE  OB  CONGO f 


435 


that  sylvan  decorations  rejoice  the  eyes  of  the  Northern  Euro- 
peans. The  old  forests  attest  the  youthfulness  of  our  civilization. 
The  aboriginal  woods  of  Scotland  are  but  recently  cut  down. 
(Hugh  Miller's  "Sketches,"  p.  7.) 

Mosses  often  evidence  the  primitive  state  of  things  at  the  time 
of  the  Roman  invasion.  Roman  axe  like  Afiicau,  a  narrow,  chis- 
el-shaped tool,  left  sticking  in  the  stumps. 

The  medical  education  has  led  me  to  a  continual  tendency  to 
suspend  the  judgment.  What  a  state  of  blessedness  it  would 
have  been  had  I  possessed  the  dead  certainty  of  the  homeopathic 
persuasion,  and  as  soon  as  I  found  the  lakes  Bangweolo,  Moero, 
and  Kamolondo  pouring  out  their  waters  down  the  great  central 
valley,  bellowed  out,  "Hurra!  Eureka!"  and  gone  home  in  firm 
and  honest  belief  that  I  had  settled  it,  and  no  mistake.  Instead 
of  that,  I  am  even  now  not  at  all  "  cock-sure  "  that  I  have  not 
been  following  down  what  may,  after  all,  be  the  Congo. 

June  2oth. — Sent  over  to  Tabora  to  try  and  buy  a  cow  from 
Basakuma,  or  northern  people,  who  have  brought  about  one  hun- 
dred for  sale.  I  got  two  oxen  for  a  coil  of  brass  wire  and  seven 
dotis  of  cloth. 


436 


LIVIKGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

Letters  arrive  at  last. — Sore  Intelligence.^ — Death  of  an  old  Friend. — Observations 
on  the  Climate. — Arab  Caution. — Dearth  of  Missionary  Enterprise. — The  Slave- 
trade  and  its  Horrors. — Piogrejsive  Barbarism. — Carping  Benevolence. — Geology 
of  Soutliern  Africa. — The  Fountain  Sources. — African  Elepliants. — A  venerable 
Piece  of  Artillery. — Livingstone  on  Materialism. — Bin  Nassib. — The  Bagauda 
leave  at  last. — Enlists  a  new  Follower. 

[And  now  the  long-looked-for  letters  came  in  by  various  bands, 
but  witli  little  regularity.'  It  is  not  here  necessary  to  refer  to 
the  withdrawal  of  the  Livingstone  Relief  Expedition,  which  took 
place  as  soon  as  Mr.  Stanley  confronted  Lieutenant  Dawson  on 
his  way  inland.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  various  members  of 
this  expedition,  of  which  his  second  son,  Mr.  Oswell  Livingstone, 
was  one,  had  already  quitted  Africa  for  England  when  these  com- 
munications reached  Unyanyembe.] 

June  27ih,  1872.  —  Received  a  letter  from  Oswell  yesterday, 
dated  Bagamoio,  May  14th,  which  awakened  thankfulness,  anxie- 
ty, and  deep  sorrow. 

June  28th. — Went  over  to  Kwikuru  yesterday  to  speak  about 
pagazi.  Nkasiwa  was  off  at  M'futu,  to  help  in  the  great  assault- 
on  Mirambo,  which  is  hoped  to  be  the  last;  but  Mohamad  bin 
Syde  promised  to  arrange  with  the  chief  on  his  return,  I  was 
told  that  Nkasiwa  has  the  head  of  Morukwe  in  a  kirindo,  or  band- 
box, made  of  the  inner  bark  of  a  tree ;  and  when  Morukw^'s  peo- 
ple have  recovered  they  will  come  and  redeem  it  with  ivory  and 
slaves,  and  bury  it  in  his  grave,  as  they  did  the  head  of  Ishbo- 
sheth  in  Abner's  grave  in  Hebron. 

Dugumbd's  man,  who  went  off  to  Ujiji  to  bring  ivory,  returned 
to-day,  having  been  attacked  by  robbers  of  Mirambo.  The  pa- 
gazi threw  down  all  their  loads  and  ran.  None  were  killed,  but 
they  lost  all. 

Jime  29fh. — Received  a  packet  from  Sheik  bin  Nasib  contain- 
ing a  letter  for  him,  and  one  Pall  Mall  Gazette,  one  Overland  Jfail, 
and  four  Punches.  Provision  has  been  made  for  my  daughter  by 
Her  Majesty's  Government  of  £300,  but  I  do  not  understand  the 
matter  clearly. 

Jul)/  2d,  1872.— Make  up  a  packet  for  Dr.  Kirk  and  Mr.  Webb, 
of  Zanzibar:  explain  to  Kirk,  and  beg  liim  to  investigate  and 


HIPPOPOTAMUS- HUNTERS. 


437 


punish,  and  put  blame  on  right  persons.  Write  Sir  Bartle  Frere 
and  Agnes.  Send  large  paeket  of  astronomical  observations  and 
sketch-map  to  Sir  Thomas  Maclear  by  a  native,  Suleiman. 

July  3d. — Eeceived  a  note  from  Oswell,  written  in  April  last, 
containing  the  sad  intelligence  of  Sir  Roderick's  departure  from 
among  us.  Alas!  alas!  this  is  the  only  time  in  my  life  I  ever 
felt  inclined  to  use  the  word,  and  it  bespeaks  a  sore  heart.  The 
best  friend  I  ever  bad — true,  warm,  and  abiding — he  loved  me 
more  than  I  deserved :  he  looks  down  on  me  still.  I  must  feel 
resigned  to  the  loss  by  the  Divine  Will,  but  still  I  regret  and 
mourn. 

Wearisome  waiting,  this;  and  yet  the  men  can  not  be  here  be- 
fore the  middle  or  end  of  this  month.  I  have  been  sorely  let 
and  hindered  in  this  journey,  but  it  may  have  been  all  for  the 
best.    I  will  trust  in  Ilim  to  whom  I  commit  my  way. 

Juhj  bth. — Weary  !  weary ! 

Jahj  llh. — Waiting  wearily  here,  and  hoping  that  the  good  and 
loving  Father  of  all  may  favor  me,  and  help  me  to  finish  my  work 
quickly  and  well. 

Temperature  at  6  A.M.  61°  ;  feels  cold.  Winds  blow  regularly 
from  the  east;  if  it  changes  to  north-west,  brings  a  thick  mantle 
of  cold,  gray  clouds.  A  typhoon  did  great  damage  at  Zanzibai", 
wrecking  ships,  and  destroying  cocoa-nuts,  carafu,  and  all  fruits: 
happened  five  days  after  Syed  Burghash's  return  from  Mecca. 

At  the  Loangwa  of  Zumbo  we  came  to  a  party  of  hereditary 
hii)popotanuis-hunters,  called  Makombwc  or  Akombwe.  They 
follow  no  other  occupation  ;  but  when  tlieir  game  is  getting 
scanty  at  one  spot  they  remove  to  some  other  part  of  the  Loang- 
wa, Zambesi,  or  Shire,  and  build  temporary  huts  on  an  island, 
where  their  women  cultivate  patches.  The  flesh  of  the  animals 
they  kill  is  eagerly  exchanged  by  the  more  settled  people  for 
grain.  They  are  not  stingy,  and  are  everywhere  welcome  guests. 
I  never  heard  of  any  fraud  in  dealing,  or  that  they  had  been 
guilty  of  an  outrage  on  the  poorest:  their  chief  characteristic  is 
their  courage.  Their  hunting  is  the  bravest  tiling  I  ever  saw. 
Each  canoe  is  manned  by  two  men:  they  are  long,  light  craft, 
scarcely  half  an  inch  in  thicknes.s,  about  eighteen  inches  beam, 
and  from  eighteen  to  twenty  feet  long.  They  are  formed  for 
speed,  and  shaped  somewhat  like  our  racing-boats.  Each  man 
uses  a  broad,  short  paddle,  and  as  they  guide  the  canoe  slowly 
down  stream  to  a  sleeping  hippopotamus  not  a  single  ripple  is 
raised  on  the  smooth  water:  they  look  as  if  liolding  in  their 
breath,  and  coinniunicatc  by  signs  only.    As  they  come  near  the 

30 


438 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


prey,  the  barpooner  in  the  bow  lays  down  bis  paddle  and  rises 
slowly  ijp,  and  there  be  stands  erect,  motionless,  and  eager,  with 
the  long-handled  weapon  poised  at  arms-lengtb  above  his  head, 
till,  coming  close  to  the  beast,  be  plunges  it  with  all  bis  might  in 
toward  the  heart.  During  this  exciting  feat  he  has  to  keep  bis 
balance  exactly.  Ilis  neighbor  in  the  stern  at  once  backs  bis 
paddle,  the  barpooner  sits  down,  seizes  his  paddle,  and  backs  too, 
to  escape.  The  animal,  surprised  and  wounded,  seldom  returns 
the  attack  at  this  stage  of  the  hunt.  The  next  stage,  however,  is 
full  of  danger. 

The  barbed  blade  of  the  harpoon  is  secured  by  a  long  and  very 
strong  rope  wound  round  the  handle :  it  is  intended  to  come  out 
of  its  socket;  and  while  the.  iron  bead  is  firmly  fixed  in  the  ani- 
mal's body,  the  rope  unwinds  and  the  handle  floats  on  the  sur- 
face. Tlie  hunter  next  goes  to  the  handle  and  hauls  on  the  rope 
till  he  knows  that  be  is  right  over  the  beast :  when  he  feels  the 
line  suddenly  slacken,  be  is  prepared  to  deliver  another  harpoon 
the  instant  that  hippo's  enormous  jaws  appear,  with  a  terrible 
grunt,  above  the  water.  The  backing  by  the  paddles  is  again  re- 
peated, but  hippo  often  assaults  the  canoe,  crunches  it  with  his 
great  jaws  as  easily  as  a  pig  would  a  bunch  of  asparagus,  or  shiv- 
ers it  with  a  kick  by  his  hind  foot.  Deprived  of  their  canoe,  the 
gallant  comrades  instantly  dive  and  swim  to  the  shore  under  wa- 
ter. They  say  that  the  infuriated  beast  looks  for  them  on  the 
surface,  and,  being  below,  they  escnpe  bis  sight.  When  caught 
by  many  harpoons,  the  crews  of  several  canoes  seize  the  bandies 
and  drag  him  bilber  and  thither  till,  weakened  by  loss  of  blood, 
lie  succumbs. 

This  bunting  requires  the  greatest  skill,  courage,  and  nerve 
that  can  be  conceived — double-armed  and  threefold  brass,  or  what- 
ever the  "^neid"  says.  The  Makombwe  are  certainly  a  mag- 
nificent race  of  men ;  hardy  and  active  in  their  habits,  and  well 
fed,  as  the  result  of  their  brave  exploits:  every  muscle  is  well 
developed ;  and  though  not  so  tall  as  some  tribes,  their  figures 
are  compact,  and  finely  proportioned.  Being  a  family  occupa- 
tion, it  has  no  doubt  helped  in  the  production  of  fine  physical 
development.  Though  all  the  people  among  whom  they  sojourn 
would  like  the  profits  they  secure  by  the  flesh  and  curved  tusks, 
and  no  game  is  preserved,  I  have  met  with  no  competitors  to  them 
except  the  Wayeiyc  of  Lake  Ngami  and  adjacent  rivers. 

I  have  seen  our  dragoon  officers  perform  fencing  and  managing 
their  horses  so  dexterously  that  every  muscle  seemed  trained  to 
its  fullest  power  and  efficiency  ;  and  jxjrhaps  had  they  been 


THERMOMETRICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 


439 


brouglit  lip  as  Makombwe  they  might  have  equaled  their  daring 
and  consummate  skill :  but  we  have  no  sport,  except  perhaps  In- 
dian tiger-shooting,  requiring  the  courage  and  coolness  this  enter- 
prise demands.  The  danger  may  be  appreciated  if  one  remem- 
bers that  no  sooner  is  blood  shed  in  the  water  than  all  the  croc- 
odiles below  are  immediately  drawn  up  stream  by  the  scent,  and 
are  ready  to  act  the  part  of  thieves  in  a  London  crowd,  or  worse. 

Julij  8th.— At  noon,  wet  bulb  66°,  dry  74°.  These  observa- 
tions are  taken  from  thermometers  hung  four  feet  from  the  ground 
on  the  cool  side  (south)  of  the  house,  and  beneath  an  earthen  roof 
with  complete  protection  from  wind  and  radiation.  Noon  known 
by  the  shadows  being  nearly  perpendicular.  To  show  what  is 
endured  by  a  traveler,  the  following  register  is  given  of  the  heat 
on  a  spot,  four  feet  from  the  ground,  protected  from  the  wind  by 
a  reed  fence,  but  exposed  to  the  sun's  rays,  slanting  a  little : 

Koon.    Wet  bulb,  78'  Dry  bulb,  102° 

2  P.M.  "       77°   "  "  O!)" 

3  p.m.  "       78°   102° 

4  p.m.  "       72°   88° 

(Agreeable  marching  now.) 
G  p.m.  "       6G°   "  77° 

July  ^th. — Clear  and  cold  the  general  weather:  cold  is  pene- 
trating. War  forces  have  gone  out  of  M'futu  and  built  a  camp. 
Fear  of  Mirambo  rules  them  all:  each  one  is  nervously  anxious 
not  to  die,  and  in  no  way  ashamed  to  own  it.  The  Arabs  keep 
out  of  danger:  "Better  to  sleep  in  a  whole  skin"  is  their  motto. 

Noon. — Spoke  to  Singeri  about  the  missionary  reported  to  be 
coming:  he  seems  to  like  the  idea  of  being  taught  and  opening 
up  the  country  by  way  of  the  Nile.  I  told  him  that  all  the  Arabs 
confirmed  Mtdsa's  cruelties,  and  that  his  people  were  more  to 
blame  than  he:  it  was  guilt  before  God.  In  this  he  agreed  fully, 
but  said,  "  Wliat  Arab  was  killed?"  meaning,  if  they  did  not  suf- 
fer, how  can  they  coinpluin? 

G  A.M.    Wet  bulb,  .5.'-)°  Dry  bulb,  r.7°  min.  55° 

!)  A.M.  "       74°   "  82° 

Noon.  "       74°   "  98° 

(Now  becomes  too  hot  to  march.) 
3.30  P.M.      "       75°   "  90° 


G  A.M.  "       .'■>0°   "  C5°  min.  55'^ 

Noon.  "       G7°   "  77°  shady. 

3  p.m.  "       G9°   "  81°clomiy. 

5  p.m.  "       G5°   "  75°  cloudy. 


440 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


July  lOth.—No  great  difficulty  would  be  encountered  in  estab- 
lishing a  Christian  mission  a  hundred  miles  or  so  from  the  East 
Coast.  The  permission  of  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar  would  be  nec- 
essary, because  all  the  tribes  of  any  intelligence  claim  relationship, 
or  have  relations  with  him  ;  the  Banyamwezi  even  call  themselves 
his  subjects,  and  so  do  others.  His  permission  would  be  readily 
granted,  if  respectfully  applied  for  through  tlie  English  consul. 
The  Suaheli,with  their  present  apathy  on  religious  matters,  would 
be  no  obstacle.  Care  to  speak  politely,  and  to  show  kindness  to 
them,  would  not  be  lost  labor  in  the  general  effect  of  the  mission 
on  the  countr}'',  but  all  discussion  on  the  belief  of  the  Moslems 
should  be  avoided ;  they  know  little  about  it.  Emigrants  from 
Muscat,  Persia,  and  India,  who  at  present  possess  neither  influence 
nor  wealth,  would  eagerly  seize  any  formal  or  offensive  denial 
of  the  authority  of  their  Prophet  to  fan  their  o*wn  bigotr}',  and 
arouse  that  of  the  Suaheli.  A  few  now  assume  an  air  of  supe- 
riority in  matters  of  worship,  and  would  fain  take  the  place  of 
MuUams,  or  doctors  of  the  law,  by  giving  authoritative  dicta  as 
to  the  times  of  prayer,  positions  to  be  observed,  luck}'^  and  un- 
lucky days,  using  cabalistic  signs,  telling  fortunes,  finding  from 
the  Koran  when  an  attack  may  be  made  on  any  enemy,  etc. ;  but 
this  is  done  only  in  the  field  with  trading-parties.  At  Zanzibar 
the  regular  Mullams  supersede  them. 

No  objection  would  be  made  to  teaching  the  natives  of  the  coun- 
try to  read  their  own  languages  in  the  Roman  character.  No  Arab 
has  ever  attempted  to  teach  them  the  Arabic  Koran  :  they  are 
called  guma,  hard,  or  difficult  as  to  religion.  This  is  not  wonder- 
ful, since  the  Koran  is  never  translated,  and  a  very  extraordinary 
desire  for  knowledge  would  be  required  to  sustain  a  man  in  com- 
mitting to  memory  pages  and  chapters  of,  to  him,  unmeaning  gib- 
berish..  One  only  of  all  the  native  chiefs,  Monyumgo,  has  sent 
his  children  to  Zanzibar  to  be  taught  to  read  and  write  the  Koran  : 
and  he  is  said  to  possess  an  unusual  admiration  of  such  civiliza- 
tion as  he  has  seen  among  the  Arabs.  To  the  natives  the  chief 
attention  of  the  mission  shoukl  be  directed.  It  would  not  be  de- 
sirable, or  advi.sable,  to  refu.se  explanation  to  others;  but  I  have 
avoided  giving  offense  to  intelligent  Arab-s,  who  have  pressed  me, 
asking  if  I  believed  in  IMohammed,  by  saying,  "No,  I  do  not:  I 
am  a  child  of  Jesus  bin  Miriam,"  avoiding  any  thing  offensive  in 
my  tone,  and  often  adding  that  Mohammed  found  their  forefathers 
bowing  down  to  trees  and  stones,  and  did  good  to  them  by  for- 
bidding idolatry,  and  teaching  the  worshi|)  of  the  onl_y  One  God. 
This  they  all  know,  and  it  pleases  them  to  have  it  recognized. 


ADVICE  TO  MISSIOXABIES. 


441 


It  might  be  good  policy  to  hire  a  respectable  Arab  to  engage 
free  porters,  and  conduct  the  mission  to  the  countiy  chosen,  and 
obtain  pei-mission  from  the  chief  to  build  temporary  houses.  If 
this  Arab  were  well  paid,  it  might  pave  the  way  for  employing 
others  to  bring  supplies  of  goods  and  stores  not  produced  in  the 
country,  as  tea,  coffee,  sugar.  The  first  porters  had  better  all  go 
back,  save  a  couple  or  so,  who  have  behaved  especially  well. 
Trust  to  the  people  among  whom  you  live  for  general  services,  as 
bringing  wood,  water,  cultivation,  reaping,  smith's  work,  carpen- 
ter's work,  pottery,  baskets,  etc.  Educated  free  blacks  from  a 
distance  are  to  be  avoided :  they  are  expensive,  and  are  too  much 
of  gentlemen  for  3-our  work.  You  may  in  a  few  months  raise 
natives  who  will  teach  reading  to  others  better  than  they  can,  and 
teach  you  also  much  that  the  liberated  never  know.  A  cloth  and 
some  beads  occasionally  will  satisfy  them,  while  neither  the  food, 
the  wages,  nor  the  work  will  please  those  who,  being  brought 
from  a  distance,  naturally  consider  themselves  missionaries. 
Slaves  also  have  undergone  a  process  which  lias  spoiled  them  for 
life:  though  liberated  young,  every  thing  of  childhood  and  open- 
ing life  possesses  an  indescribable  charm.  It  is  so  with  our  own 
offspring,  and  nothing  effaces  the  fairy  scenes  then  printed  on  the 
memory.  Some  of  my  libcrados  eagerly  bought  green  calabashes 
and  tasteless  squash  with  fine  fat  beef,  because  this  trash  was  their 
early  food;  and  an  ounce  of  meat  never  entered  their  mouths. 
It  seems  indispensable  that  each  mission  should  raise  its  own 
native  agency.  A  couple  of  Europeans  beginning  and  carrying 
on  a  mission  without  a  staff  of  foreign  attendants,  implies  coarse 
countrv  fare,  it  is  true,  but  this  would  be  nothingr  to  those  who 
at  home  amuse  themselves  with  fastings,  vigils,  etc.  A  great 
deal  of  power  is  thus  lost  in  the  Church.  Fastings  and  vigils, 
without  a  special  object  in  view,  are  time  run  to  waste.  They 
are  made  to  minister  to  a  sort  of  self-gratification,  instead  of  being 
turned  to  account  for  the  good  of  othcr-s.  They  are  like  groan- 
ing in  sicknes.s.  Some  people  amuse  themselves  when  ill  with 
continuous  moaning.  The  forty  days  of  Lent  might  be  annually 
spent  in  visiting  adjacent  tribes,  and  bearing  unavoidable  hunger 
and  thirst  with  a  good  grace.  Considering  the  greatness  of  the 
ol)ject  to  be  attained,  men  might  go  without  sugar,  coft'ee,  tea,  etc. 
I  went  from  September,  18(50,  to  December,  1808,  without  cither. 
A  trader  at  Casembe's  gave  me  a  dish  cooked  with  honey,  and  it 
nauseated,  from  its  horrible  sweetness;  but  at  one  hundred  miles 
inland  supplies  could  be  easilv  obtained. 

The  expenses  need  not  be  large.    Intelligent  Arabs  inform  me 


442 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


that,  in  going  from  Zanzibar  to  Casembe's,  only  $3000  worth  arc 
required  by  a  trader,  say  between  £600  or  £700,  and  he  may  be 
away  three  or  more  years;  paying  his  way,  giving  presents  to 
the  chiefs,  and  filling  two  or  three  hundred  mouths.  He  has  paid 
for,  say  fifty  muskets,  ammunition,  flints,  and  may  return  with 
four  thousand  pounds  of  ivory,  and  a  number  of  slaves  for  sale ; 
all  at  an  outlay  of  £600  or  £700.  With  the  experience  I  have 
gained  now,  I  could  do  all  I  shall  do  in  this  expedition  for  a  like 
sum,  or  at  least  for  £1000  less  than  it  will  actually  cost  me. 

Jubj  12th. — Two  men  come  from  Syde  bin  Ilabib  report  fight- 
ing as  going  on  at  discieet  distances  against  Mirambo.  Sheik 
But,  son  of  Mohamad  bin  Saleh,  is  found  guilty  of  stealing  a  tusk 
of  two  and  a  half  frasilahs  from  the  Lewald  He  has  gone  in  dis- 
grace to  fight  Mirambo  :  his  father  is  disconsolate,  naturally.  Le- 
wald has  been  merciful. 

When  endeavoring  to  give  some  account  of  the  slave-trade 
of  East  Africa,  it  was  necessary  to  keep  far  within  the  truth,  in 
order  not  to  be  thought  guilty  of  exaggeration  ;  but,  in  sober  se- 
riousness, the  subject  does  not  admit  of  exaggeration.  To  over- 
draw its  evils  is  a  simple  impossibility.  The  sights  I  have  seen, 
though  common  incidents  of  the  traffic,  are  so  nauseous  that  I 
always  strive  to  drive  them  from  memory.  In  the  case  of  most 
disagreeable  recollections  I  can  succeed,  in  time,  in  consigning 
them  to  oblivion;  but  the  slaving  scenes  come  back  unbidden, 
and  make  me  start  up  at  dead  of  night  horrified  by  their  vivid- 
ness. To  some  this  may  appear  weak  and  unphilosopliical,  since 
it  is  alleged  that  the  whole  human  race  has  passed  through  the 
process  of  development.  We  may  compare  cannibalism  to  tlie 
stone  age,  and  the  times  of  slavery  to  the  iron  and  bronze  epochs. 
Slavery  is  as  natural  a  step  in  human  development  as  from 
bronze  to  iron. 

While  speaking  of  the  stone  age,  I  may  add  that  in  Africa  I 
have  never  been  fortunate  enough  to  find  one  flint  arrow-head  or 
any  other  flint  implement,  though  I  had  my  eyes  about  me  as 
diligently  as  any  of  my  neighbors.  No  roads  are  made,  no  lands 
leveled,  no  drains  digged,  no  quarries  worked,  nor  any  of  the 
changes  made  on  the  earth's  surface  that  might  reveal  fragments 
of  the  primitive  manufacture  of  stone.  Yet  but  little  could  be 
inferred  from  the  negative  evidence,  were  it  not  accompanied  by 
the  fact  that  flint  does  not  exist  in  any  part  south  of  the  equator. 
Quartz  might  have  been  used,  but  no  remains  exist,  except  the 
lialf-worn  mill-stones,  and  stones,  about  the  size  of  oranges,  used 
for  chipping  and  making  rough  the  nether  mill-stonc.  Glazed 


AX  OPIXIOX  ABOUT  WIVES. 


443 


pipes  and  earthenware,  used  in  smelting  iron,  show  that  iron  was 
smelted  in  the  remotest  ages  in  Africa.  Tliese  earthenware  ves- 
sels, and  fragments  of  others  of  a  finer  texture,  were  found  in  the 
delta  of  the  Zambesi,  and  in  other  parts,  in  close  association  with 
fossil  bones,  which,  on  being  touched  by  the  tongue,  showed  as 
complete  an  absence  of  animal  matter  as  the  most  ancient  fossils 
known  in  Europe.  They  were  the  bones  of  animals — as  hippo- 
potami, water- hogs,  antelopes,  crocodiles  —  identical  with  those 
now  living  in  the  countr\'.  These  were  the  primitive  fauna  of 
Africa;  and  if  vitrified  iron  from  the  prodigious  number  of  bro- 
ken smelting- furnaces  all  over  the  country  was  known  from  the 
remotest  times,  the  Africans  seem  to  have  had  a  start  in  the  race 
at  a  time  when  our  progenitors  were  grubbing  np  flints  to  save 
a  miserable  existence  by  the  game  they  might  kill.  Slave-trading 
seems  to  have  been  coeval  with  the  knowledge  of  iron.  The  mon- 
uments of  Egypt  show  that  this  curse  has  venerable  antiquity. 
Some  people  sa\',  "  If  ?o  ancient,  why  try  to  stop  an  old  estab- 
lished usage  now?"  Well,  some  believe  that  the  affliction  that 
befell  the  most  ancient  of  all  the  patriarchs,  Job,  was  small-pox. 
Why,  then,  stop  the  ravages  of  this  venerable  disease  in  London 
and  New  York  by  vaccination? 

But  no  one  expects  any  benevolent  efforts  from  those  who  cavil 
and  carp  at  efforts  made  by  governments  and  peojilcs  to  heal  the 
enormous  open  sore  of  the  world.  Some  profess  that  they  would 
rather  give  "their  mite"  for  the  degraded  of  our  own  country- 
men than  to  "niggers!"'  Verily,  it  is  "a  mite;"  and  they  most 
often  forget,  and  make  a  gift  of  it  to  themselves.  It  is  almost  an 
axiom  that  tho.se  who  do  most  for  the  heathen  abroad  are  most 
liberal  for  the  heathen  at  home.  It  is  to  this  class  we  turn  with 
hope.  With  others  arguments  are  u.sele.ss  ;  and  the  only  answer  I 
care  to  give  is  the  remark  of  an  English  sailor,  who,  on  seeing 
slave-traders  actually  at  their  occupation,  said  to  hi.s  companion, 
"Shiver  m}''  timbers,  mate,  if  the  devil  don't  catch  these  fellows, 
we  might  as  well  have  no  devil  at  all." 

In  conversing  with  a  prince  at  Johanna,  one  of  tlie  Comoro  isl- 
ands lying  off  tlie  north  end  of  Madagascar,  he  took  occasion  to 
extol  the  wisdom  of  the  Arabs  in  keeping  strict  watch  over  their 
wives.  On  suggesting  that  their  extreme  jealou.sy  made  them 
more  like  jailers  than  friends  of  their  wives,  or,  indeed,  that  thev 
thus  reduced  themselves  to  the  level  of  tlic  inferior  animals,  and 
each  was  like  the  bull  of  a  herd,  and  not  like  a  reasnnal)lc  man — 
"  fuguswa" — and  that  they  gave  themselves  a  vast  deal  of  trouble 
for  very  small  profit,  he  asserted  that  the  jealousy  was  reasonable 


444 


LinXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUIiyALS. 


because  all  women  were  bad ;  they  could  not  avoid  going  astray. 
And  on  remarking  that  this  might  be  the  case  with  Arab  women, 
but  certainly  did  not  apply  to  English  women,  for  though  a  num- 
ber were  untrustworthy,  ibe  majority  deserved  all  the  confidence 
their  husbands  could  place  in  them,  he  reiterated  that  women 
were  universally  bad.  He  did  not  believe  that  women  ever  would 
be  good ;  and  the  English  allowing  their  wives  to  gad  about  with 
faces  uncovered  only  showed  their  weakness,  ignorance,  and  un- 
wisdom. 

The  tendency  and  spirit  of  the  age  are  more  and  more  toward 
the  undertaking  of  industrial  enteiprises  of  such  magnitude  and 
skill  as  to  require  the  capital  of  the  world  for  their  support  and 
execution  ;  as  the  Pacific  Railroad,  Suez  Canal,  Mont  Cenis  Tun- 
nel, and  railways  in  India  and  Western  Asia,  Euphrates  Eailroad, 
etc.  The  extension  and  use  of  railroads,  steamships,  telegraphs, 
break  down  nationalities,  and  bring  peoples  geographically  remote 
into  close  connection  commercially  and  politically.  They  make 
the  world  one,  and  capital,  like  water,  tends  to  a  common  level. 

[Geologists  will  be  glad  to  find  that  the  doctor  took  pains  to 
arrange  his  observations  at  this  time  in  the  following  I'orm:] 

A  really  enormous  area  of  South  Central  Africa  is  covered 
with  volcanic  rocks,  in  which  are  imbedded  angular  fragments 
of  older  strata,  possibly  sandstone,  converted  into  schist,  which, 
though  carried  along  in  the  molten  mass,  still  retain  impressions 
of  plants  of  a  low  order,  probably  the  lowest — Silurian — and  dis- 
tinct ripple-marks  and  rain-drops,  in  which  no  animal  markings 
have  yet  been  observed.  The  fewness  of  the  organic  remains 
observed  is  owing  to  the  fact  that  here  no  quarries  are  worked, 
no  roads  are  made,  and  as  we  advance  north  the  rank  vegetation 
covers  up  every  thing.  The  only  stone  buildings  in  the  country 
north  of  the  Cape  colony  are  the  church  and  mission  houses  at 
Kurunian.  In  the  walls  there,  the  fragments,  with  impressions 
of  fossil  leaves,  have  been  broken  through  in  the  matrix,  once  a 
molten  mass  of  lava.  The  area  which  this  basalt  covers  extends 
from  near  the  Yaal  Kiver  in  the  south  to  a  point  some  sixty 
miles  beyond  the  Victoria  Falls,  and  the  average  breadth  is  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  The  space  is  at  least  one  hundred 
thousand  square  miles.  Sandstone  rocks  stand  up  in  it  at  vari- 
ous points  like  islands;  but  all  are  metamorphosed,  and  branches 
liave  flowed  off  from  the  igneous  sea  into  valleys  and  defiles; 
and  one  can  casil}'  trace  the  hardening  process  of  the  fire  as  less 
and  less,  till  at  the  outer  end  of  the  stream  the  rocks  arc  merely 


GEOLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 


445 


hardened.  These  branches  equal  in  size  all  the  rocks  and  hills 
that  stand  like  islands,  so  that  we  are  justified  in  assuming  the 
area  as  at  least  one  hundred  thousand  square  miles  of  this  basalt- 
ic sea. 

The  molten  mass  seems  to  have  flowed  over  in  successive 
waves,  and  the  top  of  each  wave  was  covered  with  a  dark  vitre- 
ous scum  carrying  seorice  with  angular  fragments.  This  scum 
marks  each  successive  overflow,  as  a  stratum  from  twelve  to 
eighteen  inches  or  more  in  thickness.  In  one  part  sixty -two 
strata  are  revealed  ;  but  at  the  Victoria  Falls  (which  are  simply 
a  rent)  tlie  basaltic  rock  is  stratified  as  fur  as  our  eyes  could  see 
down  the  depth  of  three  hundred  and  ten  feet.  Tliis  extensive 
sea  of  lava  was  probably  sub-aerial,  because  bubbles  often  appear 
as  coming  out  of  the  rock  into  the  vitreous  scum  on  the  surface 
of  each  wave :  in  some  cases  they  have  broken,  and  left  circular 
rings  with  raised  edges,  peculiar  to  any  boiling  viscous  fluid.  In 
many  cases  they  have  cooled  as  round  {)ustules,  as  if  a  bullet 
were  inclosed;  on  breaking  them,  the  internal  surface  is  covered 
with  a  crop  of  beautiful  crystals  of  silver,  with  their  heads  all  di- 
rected to  the  centre  of  the  bubble,  which  otherwise  is  empty. 

These  bubbles  in  stone  may  be  observed  in  the  bed  of  the 
Kuruman  Kiver,  eight  or  ten  miles  north  of  the  village;  and  the 
mountain  called  " Amhan,"  west-north-west  of  the  village,  lias  all 
the  appearance  of  having  been  an  orifice  through  which  the  ba- 
salt boiled  up,  as  water  or  mud  does  in  a  geyser. 

The  black  basaltic  mountains  on  the  east  of  the  Bamangwato, 
formerly  called  the  Bakaa,  furnish  furtlier  evidence  of  the  igne- 
ous eruptions  being  sub-aerial;  for  the  basalt  itself  is  columnar 
at  many  points,  and  at  other  points  the  tops  of  the  huge  crystals 
appear  in  groups,  and  the  apices  not  flattened,  as  would  have 
been  the  case  had  they  been  developed  under  the  enormous  press- 
ure of  an  ocean.  A  few  miles  on  their  south  a  hot  salt  fountain 
boils  forth  and  tells  of  interior  heat.  Another,  far  to  the  south- 
east, and  of  fresh  water,  tells  the  same  tale. 

Subsequently  to  the  period  of  gigantic  volcanic  action,  the 
outflow  of  fresh  lime-water  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth  seems 
to  have  been  extremely  large.  The  land,  now  so  dry  that  one 
might  wander  in  various  directions  (especially  westward,  to  tlie 
Kalahari),  and  perish  for  lack  of  the  precious  fluid  as  certainly 
as  if  he  were  in  the  interior  of  Australia,  was  once  bisected  in  all 
directions  by  flowing  streams  and  great  rivers,  whose  course  was 
mainly  to  the  south.  These  I'iver-beds  are  still  called  by  the  na- 
tives "meto^jo"  in  the  soulli,  but  in  the  north     ivudi/s"  both 


446 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUBXALS. 


words  meaning  the  same  thing — "  river-beds  in  which  no  water 
ever  now  flows."  To  feed  these,  a  vast  number  of  gushing  fount- 
ains poured  forth  for  ages  a  perennial  supplv.  "When  the  eye  of 
the  fountain  is  seen,  it  is  an  oval  or  oblong  orifice,  the  low- 
er portion  distinctly  water-worn,  and  there,  by  diminished  size, 
showing  that,  as  ages  elapsed,  the  smaller  water  supply  had  a 
manifestly  lesser  erosive  power.  In  the  sides  of  the  mountain 
Ainhan,  already  mentioned,  good  specimens  of  these  water-worn 
orifices  still  exist,  and  are  inhabited  by  swarms  of  bees,  whose 
hives  are  quite  protected  from  robbers  by  the  hardness  of  the 
basaltic  rocks.  The  points  on  which  the  streams  of  water  fell 
are  hollowed  by  its  action,  and  the  space  around  which  the  wa- 
ter splashed  is  covered  by  calcareous  tufa,  deposited  there  by  the 
evaporation  of  the  sun. 

Another  good  specimen  of  the  ancient  fountains  is  in  a  cave 
near  Kolobeng,  called  '■'■LepeloU,'^  a  word  by  which  the  natives 
there  sometimes  designate  the  sea.  The  wearing  power  of  the 
primeval  waters  is  here  easily  traced  in  two  branches — the  up- 
per, or  more  ancient,  ending  in  the  characteristic  oval  orifice,  in 
which  I  deposited  a  Father  Mathew's  leaden  temperance  token: 
the  lower  branch  is  much  the  largest,  as  that  by  which  the  great- 
est amount  of  water  flowed  for  a  much  longer  period  than  the 
other.  The  cave  Lep^lole  was  believed  to  be  haunted,  and  no 
one  dared  to  enter  till  I  explored  it,  as  a  relief  from  more  serious 
labor.  The  entrance  is  some  eight  or  more  feet  high,  and  five 
or  six  wide,  in  reddish-gray  sandstone  rock,  containing  in  its  sub- 
stance banks  of  well-rounded  shingle.  The  whole  range,  with 
many  of  the  adjacent  hills  on  the  south,  bear  evidence  of  the 
scorching  to  which  the  contiguity  of  the  lava  subjected  them. 
In  the  hardening  process,  the  silica  was  sometimes  sweated  out 
of  this  rock,  and  it  exists  now  as  pretty  efflorescences  of  well- 
shaped  crystals.  But  not  only  does  this  range,  which  stands 
eight  or  ten  miles  north  of  Kolobeng,  exhibit  the  effects  of  igne- 
ous action  ;  it  shows  on  its  eastern  slope  the  effects  of  flowing 
water,  in  a  large  pot-hole  called  Loe,  which  has  the  reputation  of 
having  given  exit  to  all  the  animals  in  South  Africa,  and  also  to 
the  first  progenitors  of  the  whole  Bechuana  race.  Their  foot- 
steps attest  the  truth  of  this  belief  I  was  profane  enough  to  be 
skeptical,  because  the  large  footstep  of  the  first  man,  Matsieng, 
was  directed  as  if  going  into  instead  of  out  of  this  famous  pot- 
hole. Other  huge  pot-holes  arc  met  with  all  over  the  country, 
and  at  heights  on  the  slopes  of  the  mountains  far  above  the  levels 
of  the  ancient  rivers. 


GEOLOGICAL  NOTES. 


447 


Many  fountains  rose  in  the  courses  of  the  ancient  river-beds, 
and  the  outflow  was  always  in  the  direction  of  tlie  current  of 
the  parent  stream.  Many  of  these  ancient  fountains  still  contain 
water,  and  form  the  stages  on  a  journey,  but  the  primitive  waters 
seem  generally  to  have  been  laden  with  lime  in  solution:  this 
lime  was  deposited  in  vast  lakes,  which  are  now  covered  with 
calcareous  tufa.  One  enormous  fresh-water  lake,  in  which  prob- 
ably sjDorted  the  Dyconodon,  was  let  off  when  the  remarkable 
rent  was  made  in  the  basalt  which  now  constitutes  the  Victoria 
Falls.  Another  seems  to  have  gone  to  the  sea  when  a  similai' 
fissure  was  made  at  the  falls  of  the  Orange  River.  It  is  in  this 
calcareous  tufa  alone  that  fossil  animal  remains  have  yet  been 
found.  There  are  no  marine  limestones  except  in  friths  which 
the  elevation  of  the  West  and  East  Coasts  have  placed  for  inland 
in  the  Coanza  and  Somauli  country,  and  these  contain  the  same 
shells  as  now  live  in  the  adjacent  seas. 

Antecedently  to  the  river  system,  which  seems  to  have  been 
a  great  southern  Nile  flowing  from  the  sources  of  the  Zambesi 
awa}'-  south  to  the  Orrtnge  River,  there  existed  a  state  of  fluvial 
action  of  greater  activity  than  any  we  see  now:  it  produced  pro- 
digious beds  of  well-rounded  shingle  and  gravel.  It  is  impossi- 
ble to  form  an  idea  of  their  extent.  The  Loangwa  flows  through 
the  bed  of  an  ancient  lake,  whose  banks  are  sixty  feet  thick,  of 
well-rounded  shingle.  The  Zambesi  flows,  above  the  Kcbrabasa, 
through  great  beds  of  the  same  formation,  and  generally  they  are 
of  hard  crystalline  rocks ;  and  it  is  impossible  to  conjuncture  what 
the  condition  of  the  country  was  when  the  large  pot-holes  were 
formed  up  the  hill-sides,  and  the  prodigious  attrition  that  round- 
ed the  shingle  was  going  on.  The  land  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  submerged,  because  marine  limestones  (save  in  the  excep- 
tional cases  noted)  are  wanting;  and  torrents  cutting  across  the 
ancient  river-beds  reveal  fresh-water  shells  identical  with  those 
that  now  inhabit  its  fresh  waters.  The  calcareous  tufa  seems  to 
be  the  most  recent  rock  formed.  At  the  point  of  junction  of  the 
great  southern  prehistoric  Nile  with  an  ancient  fresh-water  lake 
near  Ruchap,  and  a  few  miles  from  Likatlong,  a  mound  was 
.formed  in  an  eddy  caused  by  some  conical  lias  toward  the  east 
bank  of  this  rent  within  its  bed,  and  the  dead  animals  were  float- 
ed into  the  eddy  and  sank:  their  bones  crop  out  of  the  white 
tufa,  and  they  are  so  well  preserved  tiiat  even  the  black  tartar  on 
bullalo  and  zebra's  teeth  remains:  they  are  of  the  present  species 
of  animals  that  now  inhabit  Africa.  This  is  the  only  ca.sc  of  fos- 
sils of  these  animals  being  found  in  situ.    In  1S55  I  observed 


448 


LiriNGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURXALS. 


similar  fossils  in  banks  of  gravel  in  transita  all  down  the  Zam- 
besi above  Kebrabasa;  and  :ibout  1862  a  bed  of  gravel  was 
found  in  the  delta  with  many  of  the  same  fossils  that  had  come 
to  rest  in  the  great  deposit  of  that  river;  but  where  the  Zambesi 
digs  them  out  is  not  known.  In  its  course  below  the  Victoria 
Falls  I  observed  tufaceous  rocks:  these  must  contain  the  bones; 
for  were  they  carried  away  fi-om  the  great  tufa  lake  bottom  of 
Sesheke,  down  the  Victoria  Falls,  they  would  all  be  ground  into 
fine  silt.  The  bones  in  the  river  and  in  the  delta  were  all  asso- 
ciated with  pieces  of  coarse  pottery,  exactly  the  same  as  the  na- 
tives make  and  use  at  the  present  day:  with  it  we  found  frag- 
ments of  a  fine  grain,  only  occasionally  seen  among  Africans, 
and  closel}'  resembling  ancient  cinerary  urns:  none  were  better 
baked  than  is  customai'y  in  the  country  now.  The  most  ancient 
relics  are  deeply -worn  "granite,  mica-schist,  aiUl  sandstone  mill- 
stones; the  balls  used  for  chipping  and  roughing  them,  of  about 
the  shape  and  size  of  an  orange,  are  found  lying  near  them.  No 
stone  weapons  or  tools  ever  met  my  e3'es,  though  I  was  anxious 
to  find  them,  and  looked  carefully  over  every  ancient  village  we 
came  to  for  manj^  years.  There  is  no  flint  to  make  celts,  but 
quartz  and  rocks  having  a  slaty  cleavage  are  abundant.  It  is 
only  for  the  finer  work  that  they  use  iron  tongs,  hammers,  and 
anvils,  and  with  these  they  turn  out  work  which  makes  English 
blacksmiths  declare  Africans  never  did.  They  are  very  careful 
of  their  tools;  indeed,  the  very  opposites  to  the  flint-implement 
men,  who  seem  sometimes  to  have  made  celts  just  for  the  pleas- 
ure of  throwing  them  away:  even  the  Eomans  did  not  seem  to 
know  the  value  of  their  money. 

The  ancient  Africans  seem  to  have  been  at  least  as  early  as 
the  Asiatics  in  the  art  of  taming  elephants.  The  Egyptian  mon- 
uments show  them  bringing  tame  elephants  and  lions  into  Egypt: 
and  very  ancient  sculptures  show  the  real  African  species,  which 
the  artist  must  have  seen.  They  refused  to  sell  elcpliants,  which 
cost  them  months  of  hard  labor  to  catch  and  tame,  to  a  Greek 
commander  of  Egyptian  troops  for  a  few  brass  pots:  they  were 
quite  right.  Two  or  three  tons  of  fine  fat  butcher-meat  were  far 
better  than  the  price,  seeing  their  wives  could  make  any  number 
of  cooking-pots  for  nothing. 

Jalij  loth. — Eeported  to-day  that  twenty  wounded  men  have 
been  brought  into  M'futu  from  the  field  of  fighting.  About  two 
thousand  arc  said  to  be  engaged  on  the  Arab  side,  and  the  side 
of  Mirambo  would  seem  to  be  strong;  but  the  assailants  have  the 
disadvantage  of  firing  against  a  stockade,  and  are  unprotected, 


JX  HOSPITABLE  ARAB. 


449 


except  by  ant-hills,  buslies,  and  ditches  in  tlie  field.  I  saw  the 
first  kites  to-day:  one  had  spots  of  white  feathers  on  the  body 
below,  as  if  it  were  a  young  one — probably  come  from  the  north. 

July  Vlth.  —  Went  over  to  Sultan  bin  Ali  yesterday.  Very 
kind  as  usual :  he  gave  me  guavas  and  a  melon  called  "  matanga." 
It  is  reported  that  one  of  Mirambo's  chief  men,  Sorura,  set  sharp 
sticks  in  concealed  holes,  which  acted  like  Bruce's  "craw-taes" 
at  Bannockburn,  and  wounded  several,  probably  the  twenty  re- 
ported. This  has  induced  the  Arabs  to  send  for  a  cannon  they 
have,  with  which  to  batter  ^Mirambo  at  a  distance.  The  gun  is 
borne  past  us  this  morning:  a  brass  seven-pounder,  dated  1679, 
carried  by  the  Portuguese  commander-in-chief  to  China,  1679, 
or  one  hundred  and  ninety-three  years  ago,  and  now  to  beat  Mi- 
rambo  by  Arabs  who  have  very  little  interest  in  the  war. 

Some  of  his  people,  out  prowling  two  days  ago,  killed  a  slave. 
The  war  is  not  so  near  an  end  as  many  hoped. 

[Mtcsn's  people,  on  thoir  way  back  to  Uganda,  were  stuck 
fast  at  Uuyanyembe  the  whole  of  this  time.  It  does  not  appear 
at  all  who  the  missionary  was  to  whom  he  refers.] 

Lewald  sends  off  the  Baganda  in  a  great  hurry,  after  detaining 
them  for  six  months  or  more  till  the  war  ended,  and  he  now  gets 
pagazi  of  Banyamwezi  for  them.  This  haste  (though  war  is  not 
ended)  is  probably  because  Lewalc  has  heard  of  a  missionary 
through  me. 

Mirambo  fires  now  from  inside  the  stockade  alone. 

Juhj  19//<.— Visited  Salim  bin  Seft',  and  was  very  hospitably 
entertained.  He  was  disappointed  that  I  could  not  eat  largely. 
They  live  very  comfortably:  grow  wheat,  while  flour  and  fruits 
grace  their  board.  Salim  says  that  goat's  flesh  at  Zanzibar  is 
better  than  beef,  but  here  beef  is  better  than  goat's  flesh.  lie  is 
a  stout,  jolly  fellow. 

July  20th. — High  cold  winds  prevail.  Temperature,  6  A.M., 
57° ;  noon,  on  the  ground,  122°.  It  may  be  higher,  but  I  am 
afraid  to  risk  the  thermometer,  which  is  graduated  to  140°  oidy. 

July  21sL — Bought  two  milch -cows  (from  a  Motusi),  which, 
with  their  calves,  were  seventeen  dotis,  or  thirty-four  fathoms. 
The  Baganda  are  packing  up  to  leave  for  home.  They  take  a 
good  deal  of  brandy  and  gin  for  Mtesa  from  the  Moslems.  Tem- 
perature at  noon,  96°. 

Another  nest  of  wagtails  flown.  They  cat  bread-crumbs.  The 
whydahs  are  busy  pairing.  Lcwale  returns  to-day  from  M'futu, 
on  his  own  private  business  at  Kwikuru.   The  success  of  the  war 


450 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURXALS. 


is  a  minor  consideration  with  all.  I  wish  my  men  would  come, 
and  let  me  off  from  this  weary  waiting. 

Some  philosophizing  is  curious.  It  represents  our  Maker 
forming  the  machine  of  the  universe,  setting  it  agoing,  and  able 
to  do  nothing  more  outside  certain  of  his  own  laws.  He,  as  it 
were,  laid  the  egg  of  the  whole,  and,  like  an  ostrich,  left  it  to  be 
hatched  by  the  sun.  We  can  control  laws,  but  he  can  not!  A 
fire  set  to  this  house  would  consume  it,  but  we  can  throw  on  wa- 
ter and  consume  the  fire.  We  control  the  elements,  fire  and 
water :  is  he  debarred  from  doing  the  same,  and  more,  who  has 
infinite  wisdom  and  knowledge?  He  surely  is  greater  than  his 
own  laws.  Civilization  is  only  what  has  been  done  with  natural 
laws.  Some  foolish  speculations  in  morals  resemble  the  idea  of 
a  Muganda,  who  said  last  night  that  if  Mtesa  did  not  kill  people 
now  and  then,  his  subjects  would  suppose  that 'he  was  dead! 

Juhj  23fZ. — The  departure  of  the  Baganda  is  countermanded, 
for  fear  of  Mirambo  capturing  their  gunpowder. 

Lewal^  interdicts  them  fiom  going;  he  says,  "You  may  go,  but 
leave  all  the  gunpowder  here,  because  Mirambo  will  follow  and 
take  it  all  to  fight  with  us."  This  is  an  after-thought,  for  he  hur- 
ried them  to  go  off.  A  few  will  go,  and  take  the  news  and  some 
goods  to  Mtdsa,  and  probably  a  lot  of  Lewale's  goods  to  trade  at 
Karagwe. 

The  Baganda  are  angrj',  for  now  their  cattle  and  much  of  their 
property  are  expended  here;  but  they  say,  "We  are  strangers, 
and  what  can  we  do  but  submit?"  The  Banyamwezi  carriers 
would  all  have  run  away  on  the  least  appearance  of  danger.  No 
troops  are  sent  by  Syed  Burghash,  though  they  were  confidently 
reported  long  ago.    All  trade  is  at  a  stand-still. 

Juhj  24:th. — The  Bagohe  retire  from  the  war.  This  month  is 
unlucky.  I  visited  Lcwalc  and  Nkasiwa,  putting  a  blister  on  the 
latter,  for  paralytic  arm,  to  please  him.  Lewald  says  that  a  gen- 
eral flight  from  the  war  has  taken  place.    The  excuse  is  hunger. 

He  confirms  the  great  damage  done  by  a  cyclone  at  Zanzibar 
to  shipping,  houses,  cocoa-nut  palms,  mango-trees,  and  clove-trees, 
also  houses  and  dhows,  five  days  after  Burghash  returned.  Sofeu 
volunteers  to  go  with  us,  because  Mohamad  Bogharib  never  gave 
him  any  thing,  and  Bwana  Mohinna  has  asked  him  to  go  with 
him.  I  have  accepted  his  offer,  and"  will  explain  to  Mohamad, 
when  I  see  him,  that  this  is  what  he  promised  me  in  the  way  of 
giving  men,  but  never  performed. 

July  27th. — At  dawn  a  loud  rumbling  in  the  east  as  if  of  thun- 
der, possibly  a  slight  earthquake:  no  thunder-clouds  visible. 


WEARY  WAITING. 


451 


Bin  Nassib  came  last  night  and  visited  me  before  going  boine 
to  his  own  house;  a  tall,  brown,  polite  Arab.  He  says  that  he 
lately  received  a  packet  for  Mr.  Stanley  from  the  American  con- 
sul, sealed  in  tin,  and  sent  it  back:  this  is  the  eleventh  that  came 
to  Stanley.  A  party  of  native  traders  who  went  with  the  Ba- 
ganda  were  attacked  by  IVIirarnbo's  people,  and  driven  back  with 
the  loss  of  all  their  goods  and  one  killed.  The  fugitives  return- 
ed this  morning  sorely  downcast.  A  party  of  twenty -three  loads 
left  for  Karagwe  a  few  days  ago,  and  the  leader  alone  has  return- 
ed :  he  does  not  know  more  than  that  one  was  killed.  Another 
was  slain  on  this  side  of  M'futii  by  Mirambo's  people  yesterday; 
the  country  thus  is  slill  in  a  terribly  disturbed  state.  Sheik  bin 
Nassib  says  that  the  Arabs  have  rooted  out  fifty-two  head  men 
who  were  Mirambo's  allies. 

July  28th. — To  Nkasiwa :  blistered  him,  as  the  first  relieved 
the  pain,  and  pleased  him  greatly  ;  hope  he  may  derive  benefit. 

Cold  east  winds,  and  clouded  thickly  over  all  the  sky. 

July  29//;.  —  Making  flour  of  rice  for  the  journey.  Visited 
Sheik  bin  Nassib,  who  has  a  severe  attack  of  fever:  he  can  not 
avoid  going  to  the  war.  lie  bought  a  donkey  with  the  tusk  he 
stole  from  Lewald,  and  it  died  yesterday;  now  Lewald  says, 
"Give  me  back  my  tusk;"  and  the  Arab  replies,  "Give  me  back 
my  donkey."  The  father  must  pay,  but  his  son's  character  is 
lost  as  well  as  the  donkey.  Bin  Nassib  gave  me  a  present  of 
wheaten  bread  and  cakes. 

July  30///. — Weary  waiting  this,  and  the  best  time  for  traveling 
passes  over  unused.  High  winds  from  the  east  every  day  bring 
cold,  and,  to  the  thinly-clad  Arabs,  fever.  Bin  Omari  called  : 
goes  to  Katanga  with  another  man's  goods  to  trade  there. 

July  Slsf. — We  heard  yesterday  from  Saliib  bin  Nassib  that 
the  caravan  of  his  brother  Kisessa  was  at  a  spot  in  Ugogo, 
twelve  days  off.  My  party  had  gone  by  another  route.  Thank- 
ful for  even  this,  in  mv  wearisome  waiting. 


452 


LIVINGSTONE'S 


LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  XXTL 

Short  Years  in  Baganda. — Boys"  Playthings  in  Africa. — Reflections. — Arrival  of  the 
Men. — Fervent  Tiiankfuiness. — An  End  of  the  weary  Waiting. — Jacob  Wainwright 
talies  Service  under  the  Doctor. — Preparations  for  the  Journey. — Flagging  and  Ill- 
ness.— Great  Heat. — Approaclies  Lake  Tanganyika. — The  Borders  of  Fijia. — Lepi- 
dosirens  and  Vultures. — Capes  and  Islands  of  Lake  Tanganyika. — Higher  Mount- 
ains.— Large  Bay. 

August  1st,  1872. — A  LARGE  party  of  Baganda  have  come  to 
see  what  is  stopping  the  way  to  ]\Itu.sa — about  ten  head  men  and 
their  followers;  but  they  were  told  by  an  Arab  in  Usui  that  the 
war  with  Mirambo  was  over.  About  seventy  of  them  come  on 
here  to-morrow,  only  to  be  dispatched  back  to  fetch  all  the  Ba- 
ganda in  Usui  to  aid  in  fighting  Mirambo.  It  is  proposed  to  take 
a  stockade  near  the  central  one,  and  therein  build  a  battery  for 
the  cannon,  which  seems  a  wise  measure.  These  arrivals  are  a 
poor,  slave-looking  people,  clad  in  bark-cloth,  "mbuzu,"  and  hav- 
ing shields  with  a  boss  in  the  centre,  round,  and  about  the  size  of 
the  ancient  Highlanders'  targe,  but  made  of  reeds.  The  Baganda 
already  here  said  that  most  of  the  new-comers  were  slaves,  and 
would  be  sold  for  cloths.  Extolling  the  size  of  Mtusa's  country, 
they  say  it  would  take  a  year  to  go  across  it.  When  I  joked 
them  about  it,  they  explained  that  a  year  meant  five  months — 
three  of  rain,  two  of  dry,  then  rain  again.  Went  over  to  apply 
medicine  to  Nkasiwa's  neck  to  heal  the  outside:  the  inside  is 
benefited  somewhat,  but  the  power  will  probably  remain  incom- 
plete, as  it  now  is. 

August  Sd. — Visited  Salem  bin  Seff,  who  is  ill  of  fever.  They 
are  hospitable  men.  Called  on  Sultan  bin  Ali,  and  home.  It  is 
he  who  effected  the  flight  of  all  the  Baganda  pagazi,  by  giving 
ten  strings  of  beads  to  Motusi  to  go  and  spread  a  panic  among 
them  by  night:  all  bolted. 

August  4:lh. — Wearisome  waiting,  and  the  sun  is  now  rainy  at 
midday,  and  will  become  hotter  right  on  to  the  hot  season  in  No- 
vember; but  this  delay  may  be  all  for  the  best. 

August  5th. — Visited  Nkasiwa,  and  recommended  .'shampooing 
the  disabled  limbs  with  oil  or  flour.  He  says  that  the  jiain  is 
removed.  More  Baganda  have  come  to  Kwihara,  and  will  bo 
used  for  the  Mirambo  war. 


THE  ATONEMENT  OF  CUEIST. 


453 


In  many  parts  one  is  struck  by  the  fact  of  the  children  having 
so  few  games.  Life  is  a  serious  business,  and  amusement  is  de- 
rived from  imitating  the  vocations  of  the  parents — hut-building, 
making  little  gardens,  bows  and  arrows,  shields,  and  spears.  Else- 
where boys  are  very  ingenious  little  fellows,  and  have  several 
games;  they  also  shoot  birds  with  bows,  and  teach  captured  lin- 
nets to  sing.  They  are  expert  in  making  guns  and  traps  for  small 
birds,  and  in  making  and  using  bird-lime.  They  make  play-guns 
of  reed,  which  go  off  with  a  trigger  and  spring,  with  a  cloud  of 
ashes  for  smoke.  Sometimes  they  make  double-barreled  guns  of 
clay,  and  have  cotton-fluff  as  smoke.  The  boys  shoot  locusts  with 
small  toy-guns  very  cleverly.  A  couple  of  rufous,  brown-headed, 
and  dirty,  speckle-breasted  swallows  appeared  to-day  for  the  first 
time  this  season,  and  lighted  on  the  ground.  Tliis  is  the  kind 
that  builds  here  in  houses,  and  as  far  south  as  Shupanga,  on  the 
Zambesi,  and  at  Kuruman.  Sun-birds  visit  a  mass  of  spiders' 
web  to-day :  they  pick  out  the  young  spiders.  Nectar  is  but 
part  of  their  food.  The  insects  in  or  at  the  nectar  could  not  be 
separated,  and  hence  have  been  made  an  essential  part  of  their 
diet.  On  closer  inspection,  however,  I  see  that  while  seeming  to 
pick  out  young  spiders — and  they  probably  do  so — they  end  in 
detaching  the  outer  coating  of  spiders'  web  from  the  inner  stiff 
paper  web,  in  order  to  make  a  nest  between  the  two.  The  outer 
part  is  a  thin  coating  of  loose  threads:  the  inner  is  tough  paper, 
impervious  web,  just  like  that  which  forms  the  wasp's  hive,  but 
stronger.  The  hen  brings  fine  fibres  and  places  them  round  a 
hole  one  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter,  then  works  herself  in  be- 
tween the  two  webs,  and  brings  cotton  to  line  the  inside  formed 
by  her  body. 

*  *  *  What  is  the  atonement  of  Christ?  It  is  himself:  it  is 
the  inherent  and  everlasting  mercy  of  God  made  apparent  to  hu- 
man eyes  and  ears.  The  everlasting  love  was  disclosed  by  our 
Lord's  life  and  death.  It  showed  that  God  forgives,  because  he 
loves  to  forgive.  He  works  by  smiles  if  possible,  if  not  by 
frowns;  pain  is  only  a  means  of  enforcing  love. 

If  we  speak  of  strength,  lo  !  he  is  strong.  The  Almighty  ;  the 
Over  Power;  the  Mind  of  the  Universe.  The  heart  thrills  at 
the  idea  of  his  greatness. 

*  *  *  All  the  great  among  men  have  been  remarkable  at  once 
for  the  grasp  and  minuteness  of  their  knowledge.  Great  as- 
tronomers seem  to  know  every  iota  of  the  Knowable.  Tlic  Great 
Duke,  when  at  the  head  of  armies,  could  give  all  the  particulars 
to  bo  observed  in  a  cavalry  charge,  and  took  care  to  have  food 

31 


454 


LinXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


ready  for  all  bis  troops.  Men  think  that  greatness  consists  in 
lofty  indifference  to  all  trivial  things.  The  Grand  Llama,  sitting 
in  immovable  contemplation  of  nothing,  is  a  good  example  of 
what  a  human  mind  would  regard  as  majesty ;  but  the  Gospels 
reveal  Jesus,  the  manifestation  of  the  blessed  God  over  all  as  mi- 
nute in  his  care  of  all.  He  exercises  a  vigilance  more  constant, 
complete,  and  comprehensive,  every  hour  and  every  minute,  over 
each  of  his  people  than  their  utmost  self-love  could  ever  attain. 
His  tender  love  is  more  exquisite  than  a  mother's  heart  can  feel. 

August  6th. — Wagtails  begin  to  discard  their  young,  which  feed 
themselves.  I  can  think  of  nothing  but  "when  will  these  men 
come  ?"  Sixty  da^'s  was  the  period  named ;  now  it  is  eighty- 
four.  It  may  be  all  for  the  best,  in  the  good  providence  of  the 
Most  High. 

August  9th. — I  do  most  devoutly  thank  the  Lord  for  his  good- 
ness in  bringing  my  men  near  to  this.  Three  came  to-day,  and 
how  thankful  I  am  I  can  not  express.  It  is  well — the  men  who 
went  with  Mr.  Stanley  came  again  to  me.  "Bless  the  Lord,  O 
my  soul,  and  all  that  is  within  me  bless  his  holy  name."  Amen. 

August  10th. — Sent  back  the  three  men  who  came  from  the 
Safari,  with  four  dotis  and  three  pounds  of  powder.  Called  on 
the  Lewale  to  give  the  news  as  a  bit  of  politeness ;  found  that 
the  old  chief  Nksiwa  had  been  bumped  by  an  ox,  and  a  bruise 
on  the  ribs  may  be  serious  at  his  age :  this  is  another  delay  from 
the  war.    It  is  only  half-heartedly  that  any  one  goes. 

[At  last  this  trying  suspense  was  put  an  end  to  by  the  arrival 
of  a  troop  of  fifty -seven  men  and  boys,  made  up  of  porters  hired 
by  Mr.  Stanley  on  the  coast,  and  some  more  Nnssick  pupils  sent 
from  Bombay  to  join  Lieutenant  Dawson.  We  find  the  names 
of  John  and  Jacob  Wainwright  among  the  latter  on  iCr.  Stanley's 
list. 

Before  we  incorporate  these  new  recruits  on  the  muster-roll 
of  Dr.  Livingstone's  servants,  it  seems  right  to  point  to  five 
names  wliich  alone  represented  at  this  time  the  list  of  his  orig- 
inal followers;  these  were  Susi,  Chuma,  and  Amoda,  who  joined 
him  in  1864  on  the  Zambesi,  that  is,  eight  years  previously,  and 
Mabruki  and  Gardner,  Nassiok  boys  hired  in  18G6.  Wc  shall 
see  that  the  new-comers  by  degrees  became  accustomed  to  the 
hardships  of  travel,  and  shared  with  the  old  servants  all  the  dan- 
ger of  the  last  heroic  march  home.  Nor  must  we  forget  that  it 
was  to  the  intelligence  and  superior  education  of  Jacob  Wain- 
wright (whom  we  now  meet  with  for  the  first  time)  that  wc  were 
indebted  for  the  earliest  account  of  the  eventful  eighteen  months 
during  which  he  was  attached  to  the  party. 


THE  START  FROM  UXYJXTE2IBE. 


455 


And  now  all  is  pounding,  packing,  bargaining,  weighing,  and 
disputing  among  the  porters.  Amidst  the  inseparable  difficul- 
ties of  an  African  start,  one  thankful  heart  gathers  comfort  and 
courage :] 

August  15th.  —  The  men  came  yesterday  (1-ith),  having  been 
seventy-four  days  from  Bagamoio.  Most  thankful  to  the  Giver 
of  all  good  I  am.  I  have  to  give  them  a  rest  of  a  few  days,  and 
then  start. 

August  16tk. — An  earthquake — "  Kiti-ki-sha !" — about  7  p.m. 
shook  me  in  my  katanda  with  quick  vibrations.  They  gradual!}- 
became  fainter:  it  lasted  some  fifty  seconds,  and  was  observed  by 
many. 

August  17th. — Preparing  things. 

August  18th. — Fando  to  be  avoided,  as  extortionate.  Went  to 
bid  adieu  to  Sultan  bin  All,  and  left  goods  with  him  for  the  re- 
turn journey,  and  many  cartridges,  full  and  empty,  nails  for  boat, 
two  iron  pillars,  etc.* 

August  19th. — Waiting  for  pagazi.  Sultan  bin  Ali  called ;  is 
going  off  to  M'futu. 

August  20(h. — Weighed  all  the  loads  again,  and  gave  an  equal 
load  of  fifty  pounds  to  each,  and  half-loads  to  the  Nassickers.  Ma- 
bruki  Speke  is  left  at  Taborah  with  Sultan  bin  Ali.  He  has  long 
been  sick,  and  is  unable  to  go  with  us. 

August  21st. — Gave  people  an  ox,  and  to  a  discarded  wife  a 
cloth,  to  avoid  exposure  by  her  husband  stripping  her.  She  is 
somebody's  child ! 

August  22(?.— Sunday.    All  ready,  but  ten  pagazi  lacking. 

August  2Sd. — Can  not  get  pagazi.  Most  are  sent  off  to  the  war. 

[At  last  the  start  took  place.  It  is  necessary  to  mention  that 
Dr.  Livingstone's  plan  in  all  his  travels  was  to  make  one  short 
stage  the  first  day,  and  generally  late  in  the  afternoon.  This, 
although  nothing  in  point  of  distance,  acted  like  the  drill  ser- 
geant's "Attention!"  The  next  morning  every  one  was  ready 
for  the  road,  clear  of  the  town,  unencumbered  with  parting 
words,  and  by  those  parting  pipes,  of  terrible  nii.im)ry  to  all  hur- 
rying Englishmen  in  Africa!] 

*  Without  entering  into  tlie  merits  of  ii  disputed  point  ns  to  whether  the  men  on 
their  return  jonrney  would  hnve  been  brought  to  n  stiind-still  iit  Unyiinveinbe  but  for 
tiie  opportune  presence  of  Lieutenant  Cnnieron  iind  his  purty,  it  will  be  seen,  never- 
theless, thill  this  entry  fully  bears  out  the  assertion  of  the  men  that  they  had  cloth 
laid  by  in  store  here  for  the  journey  to  the  coast. 

It  seems  that,  by  an  inifortunate  mistake,  a  box  of  desiccated  milk,  of  which  tlie 
doctor  was  subsequently  in  great  need,  was  left  behind  among  these  goods.  The 
last  words  written  by  him  will  remind  one  of  the  circumstance.  ,  On  their  return,  the 
unlucky  box  was  the  first  thing  that  met  Susi's  eye! — Ei>. 


456 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


August  loth. — Started  and  went  one  hour  to  village  of  Manga 
or  Yuba,  by  a  granite  ridge ;  the  weather  clear,  and  a  fine  breeze 
from  the  east  refreshes.  It  is  important  to  give  short  marches  at 
first.    Marched  an  hour  and  a  quarter. 

August  26<A. — Two  Nassickers  lost  a  cow  out  of  ten  head  of 
cattle.  Marched  to  Borna  of  Mayonda.  Sent  back  five  men  to 
look  after  the  cow.    Cow  not  found :  she  w'as  our  best  milker. 

August  27th.  —  Started  for  Ebulua  and  Kasekera  of  Mamba. 
Cross  torrent,  now  dry,  and  through  forest  to  village  of  Ebulua ; 
thence  to  village  of  Kasekera,  three  hours  and  a  half  Direction, 
south  by  west. 

August  28th. — Eeached  Mayole  village  in  two  hours  and  rested  ; 
south  and  by  west.  Water  .is  scarce  in  front.  Through  flat  forest 
to  a  marshy-looking  piece  of  water,  where  we  camp,  after  a  march 
of  an  hour  and  a  half;  still  south  by  west. 

August  29th. — On  through  level  forest  without  water.  Trees 
present  a  dry,  wintry  aspect;  grass  dry,  but  some  flowers  shoot 
out,  and  fresh  grass  where  the  old  growth  has  been  burned  off. 

August  BOth. — The  two  Nassickers  lost  all  the  cows  yesterday, 
from  sheer  laziness.  They  were  found  a  long  way  off,  and  one 
cow  missing.  Susi  gave  them  ten  cuts  each  with  a  switch.  En- 
gaging pagazi,  and  rest. 

August  Slst. — The  Baganda  boy  Kassa  was  followed  to  Gunda, 
and  I  delivered  him  to  his  countrymen.  He  escaped  from  Mayok' 
village  this  morning,  and  came  at  3  P.M. ;  his  clothes  in  rags  by 
running  through  the  forest  eleven  hours,  say  twenty-two  miles, 
and  is  determined  not  to  leave  us.  Pass  Kisari's  village,  a  mile 
and  a  half  distant,  and  on  to  Penta  or  Phinta  to  sleep,  through 
perfectly  flat  forest.    Three  hours  south  by  west. 

^September  1st,  1872. — The  same  flat  forest  to  Chikulu,  south 
and  by  west,  four  hours,  twenty-five  minutes.  Manyara  called, 
and  is  going  with  us  to-morrow.  Jangiangc  presented  a  leg  of 
Kongolo  or  Taghets^,  having  a  bunch  of  white  hair  beneath  the 
orhilal  sinus.  Bought  food,  and  served  out  rations  to  the  men 
for  ten  days,  as  water  is  scarce,  and  but  little  food  can  be  obtain- 
ed at  the  villages.  The  country  is  very  dry  and  wintry-looking, 
but  flowers  shoot  out.  First  clouds  all  over  to-day.  It  is  hot 
now.  A  flock  of  small  swallows  now  appears :  they  seem  tail- 
less, and  with  white  bellies. 

September  2d. — The  people  are  preparing  their  ten  days'  food. 
Two  pagazi  ran  away  with  twenty-four  dotis  of  the  men's  calico. 
Sent  after  them,  but  with  small  hopes  of  capturing  them. 

September  3d. — Unsuccessful  search. 


DIFFICULT  MABCHING. 


457 


Sqjtemher  4tJi. — Leave  Chikulu's,  and  pass  a  large  puff-adder 
in  the  way.  A  single  blow  on  the  head  killed  it,  so  that  it  did 
not  stir.  About  three  feet  long,  and  as  thick  as  a  man's  arm,  a 
short  tail,  and  flat,  broad  head.  The  men  say  this  is  a  very  good 
sign  for  our  journey,  though  it  would  have  been  a  bad  sign,  and 
suffering  and  death,  had  one  trodden  on  it.  Come  to  Liwane; 
large  tree  and  waters.    South-south-west  four  hours  and  a  half. 

September  5th. — A  long  hot  tramp  to  Manyara's.  He  is  a  kind 
old  man.  Many  of  the  men  very  tired  and  sick.  South-south- 
west five  hours  and  three-quarters. 

Sej)tember  Qth.  —  Eest  the  caravan,  as  we  shall  have  to  make 
forced  marches  on  account  of  tsetse  fly. 

September  7th. — Obliged  to  remain,  as  several  are  ill  with  fe- 
ver. 

September  8ih. — On  to  N'gombo  nullah.  Very  hot,  and  people 
ill.  Tsetse.  A  poor  woman  of  Ujiji  followed  one  of  Stanley's 
men  to  the  coast.  He  cast  her  off  here,  and  she  was  taken  by 
another ;  but  her  temper  seems  too  excitable.  She  set  fire  to  her 
hut  by  accident,  and  in  the  excitement  quarreled  all  round :  she 
is  a  somebody's  bairn  nevertheless,  a  tall,  strapping  young  wom- 
an :  she  must  have  been  the  pride  of  her  parents. 

September  9th. — Telckeza*  at  broad  part  of  the  nullah,  then 
went  on  two  hours,  and  passed  the  night  in  the  forest. 

September  10th. — On  to  Mwdras,  and  spent  one  night  there  b}" 
a  pool  in  the  forest.    Village  two  miles  off 

September  llth. — On  eight  hours  and  a  half  to  Telek^jza.  Sun 
very  hot,  and  marching  fatiguing  to  all. 

Majwara  has  an  insect  in  the  aqueous  chamber  of  his  eye.  It 
moves  about,  and  is  painful. 

We  found  that  an  old  path  from  Mwaro  has  water,  and  must 
go  early  to-morrow  morning,  and  so  avoid  the  roundabout  by 
Morefu.  We  shall  thus  save  two  days,  which  in  this  hot  weather 
is  much  for  us.  We  hear  that  Simba  has  gone  to  fight  with  Fipa. 
Two  Banyamwezi  volunteer. 

September  12th. — We  went  by  this  water  till  2  p.m.,  then  made 
a  march,  and  to-morrow  get  to  villages.  Got  a  bufl'alo,  and  re- 
main overnight.  Water  is  in  hematite.  I  engaged  four  paga/ji 
here,  named  Motepatonze,  Nsakusi,  Muanamazungu,  and  Mayombo. 

September  loth. — On  to  near  range  of  hills.  Much  large  game 
here.  111. 

September  16///. — Climbed  over  range  about  two  hundred  feet 


*  Middny  halt. 


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LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


high ;  then  on  westward  to  stockaded  villages  of  Kamirambo. 
His  land  begins  at  the  M'toni. 

September  17th. — To  Metambo  Eiver:  one  and  a  quarter  broad, 
and  marshy.  Here  begins  the  land  of  Merera.  Through  forest 
with  many  strychnus-trees,  three  hours  and  a  quarter,  and  arrive 
at  Merera's. 

September  18th. — Remain  at  Merera's  to  prepare  food. 

[There  is  a  significant  entry  here  :  the  old  enemy  was  upon 
him.  It  would  seem  that  his  peculiar  liability  during  these  tiav- 
els  to  one  prostrating  form  of  disease  wrfs  now  redoubled.  The 
men  speak  of  few  periods  of  even  comparative  health  from  this 
date.] 

September  12th. — Ditto,  ditto,  because  I  am  ill  with  bowels,  hav- 
ing eaten  nothing  for  eight  days.  Siniba  wants 'us  to  pass  by  his 
village,  and  not  by  the  straight  path. 

September  20th. — Went  to  Simba's ;  three  hours  and  a  half. 
About  north-west.  Simba  sent  a  handsome  present  of  food,  a 
goat,  eggs,  and  a  fowl,  beans,  split  rice,  dura,  and  sesame.  I  gave 
him  three  dotis  of  superior  cloth. 

September  21st. — Eest  here,  as  the  complaint  does  not  yield  to 
medicine  or  time ;  but  I  begin  to  eat  now,  which  is  a  favorable 
sj^mptom.  Under  a  lofty  tree  at  Simba's,  a  kite,  the  common 
brown  one,  had  two  pure  white  eggs  in  its  nest,  larger  than  a 
fowl's,  and  very  spherical.  The  Banyamwezi  women  are  in  gen- 
eral very  coarse;  not  a  beautiful  woman  among  them,  as  is  so 
common  among  the  Batusi ;  squat,  thick-set  figures,  and  features 
too;  a  race  of  pagazi.  On  coming  inland  from  sea-coast,  the  tra- 
dition says,  they  cut  the  end  of  a  cone  shell,  so  as  to  make  it  a 
little  of  the  half-moon  shape ;  this  is  their  chief  ornament.  They 
are  generally  respectful  in  deportment,  but  not  very  generous: 
they  have  learned  the  Arab  adage,  "Nothing  for  nothing,"  and 
are  keen  slave-traders.  The  gingerbread  palm  of  Speke  is  the 
Ilijphene:  the  Borassus  has  a  large  seed,  very  like  the  Coco-de- 
mer  of  the  Seychelle  Islands,  in  being  double;  but  it  is  very 
small  compared  to  it. 

September  22d. — Preparing  food,  and  one  man  pretends  inabil- 
ity to  walk :  send  for  some  pagazi  to  carry  loads  of  those  who 
carry  him,    Simba  sends  copious  libations  of  pombe. 

September  2'dd. — The  pagazi,  after  demanding  enormous  pay, 
walked  off,  "We  went  on  along  rocky  banks  of  a  stream,  and, 
crossing  it,  camped,  because  the  next  water  is  far  off. 

Sptcmber  2'lih.  —  Eccovering,  and  thankful,  but  weak;  cros.>^ 


MAXY  SICE. 


459 


broad  sedgy  stream,  and  so  oa  to  Boma  Misongbi,  west  and  by 
south. 

September  2oth. — Got  a  buffiilo  and  m  jure,  and  remain  to  eat 
tbem.  I  am  getting  better  slowly.  The  m'jure,  or  water-bog, 
was  all  eaten  by  hyenas  during  night;  but  the  buflfalo  is  safe. 

Sejitember  26lh. — Througb  forest,  along  the  side  of  a  sedgy  val- 
ley. Cross  its  head-water,  which  has  rust  of  iron  in  it,  then  west 
and  by  south.  The  forest  has  very  many  tsetse.  Zebras  calling 
loudly,  and  Senegal  long  claw  in  our  camp  at  dawn,  with  its  cry, 
"  O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o." 

September  21th.  —  On  at  dawn.  No  water  expected,  but  we 
crossed  three  abundant  supplies  before  we  came  to  bill  of  our 
camp.  Much  game  about  here.  Getting  well  again  —  thanks. 
About  west  three  hours  and  tliree-quarters.  No  people,  or  marks 
of  them.  Flowers  sprouting,  in  expectation  of  rains:  mucb  land 
burned  off,  but  grass,  short  yet. 

September  2%tli. — At  two  hills,  with  mushroom-topped  trees  on 
west  side.  Crossed  a  good  stream  twelve  feet  broad  and  knee- 
deep. 

Buffaloes  grazing.  Many  of  the  men  sick.  While  camping,  a 
large  musk-cat  broke  forth  among  us,  and  was  killed.  (Ya  bude 
— musk.)  !Musk-cat  (n'gawa),  black,  with  white  stripes  :  from 
point  of  nose  to  tip  of  tail,  four  feet;  height  at  withers,  one  foot 
six  inches. 

SepMmhtr  2Wi.  —  Througb  mucb  bamboo  and  low  hills,  to 
M'pokwa  ruins  and  river.  Tlie  latter  in  a  deep  rent  in  alluvial 
soil.  Very  hot,  and  many  sick  in  consequence.  Sombala  fish 
abundant.    Course  west. 

September  SOt/i. — Away  among  low  tree-covered  bills  of  granite 
and  sandstone.  Found  that  Bangala  bad  assaulted  the  village  to 
•which  we  went  a  few  days  ago,  and  all  were  fugitives.  Our  peo- 
ple found  plenty  of  batatas*  in  the  deserted  gardens.  A  great 
help,  for  all  were  hungry. 

October  1st,  1872,  Friday.  —  On  througb  much  deserted  cultiva- 
tion in  rich,  damp  soil.  Surrounded  with  low  tree-covered  ranges. 
We  saw  a  few  people,  but  all  are  in  terror. 

October  2d. — Obtained  m'tama  in  abundance  for  brass  wire, 
and  remained  to  grind  it.  The  people  have  been  without  any 
for  some  day.s,  and  now  rejoice  in  plenty.  A  slight  shower  fell 
at  0  A.M.,  but  not  enough  to  lay  the  dust. 

October  Sd. — Southward,  and  down  a  steep  descent  into  a  rich 


Swcet-potatocs. 


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valley  with  much  green  maize  in  ear.  People  friendly ;  but  it 
was  but  one  hour's  march,  so  we  went  on,  through  hilly  country, 
south-west.  Men  firing  off  ammunition  had  to  be  punished.  We 
crossed  the  Katuma  River  in  the  bottom  of  a  valley;  it  is  twelve 
feet  broad  and  knee-deep:  camped  in  a  forest.  Farijala  shot  a 
fine  buffalo.    The  weather  disagreeably  hot  and  sultry. 

October  -^th. — Over  the  same  hilly  country :  the  grass  is  burned 
off,  but  the  stalks  are  disagreeable.  Came  to  a  fine  valley,  with  a 
large  herd  of  zebras  feeding  quietly  .;  pretty  animals.  We  went 
only  an  hour  and  a  half  to-day,  as  one  sick  man  is  carried,  and  it 
is  hot  and  trying  for  all.  I  feel  it  much  internally,  and  am  glad 
to  move  slowly. 

October  5th. — Up  and  down  mountains ;  very  sore  on  legs  and 
lungs.  Trying  to  save  donkey's  strength,  I  climbed  and  descend- 
ed, and,  as  soon  as  I  mounted,  off'  he  set  as  hard  as  he  could  run, 
and  he  felt  not  the  bridle:  the  saddle  was  loose,  but  I  stuck  on 
till  we  reached  water  in  a  bamboo  hollow  with  spring. 

October  6th. — A  long  bamboo  valley  with  giraffes  in  it.  Range 
on  our  right  stretches  away  from  us,  and  that  on  the  left  dwin- 
dled down  ;  all  wvered  with  bamboos,  in  tufts  like  other  grasses: 
elephants  eat  them.  Traveled  west  and  by  south  two  hours  and 
three-quarters.  Short  marches,  on  account  of  carrying  one  sick 
man. 

October  7th. — Over  fine  park-like  country,  with  large  belts  of 
bamboo  and  fine,  broad,  shady  trees.  Went  westward  to  the  end 
of  the  left-hand  range.  Went  four  hours  over  a  level  forest  with 
much  hematite.  Trees  large  and  open.  Large  game  evidently 
abounds,  and  waters  generally  are  not  far  apart.  Our  neighbor 
got  a  zebra,  a  rhinoceros,  and  two  3'oung  elephants. 

October  8th.  —  Came  on  early,  as  sun  is  hot,  and  in  two  hours 
saw  the  Tanganyika  from  a  gentle  hill.  The  land  is  rough,  with 
angular  fragments  of  quartz :  the  rocks  of  mica  schist  are  tilted 
up  as  if  away  from  the  Lake's  longer  axis.  Some  are  upright, 
and  some  have  basalt  melted  into  the  layers,  and  crystallized  in 
irregular  polygons.  All  are  very  tired  ;  and  in  coming  to  a  stock- 
ade w^e  were  refused  admittance,  because  Malongwana  had  attack- 
ed them  late,  and  we  might  seize  thein  when  in  this  stronghold. 
Very  true ;  so  we  sit  outside  in  the  shade  of  a  single  palm  (Bo- 
rassus). 

October  9th. — Rest,  because  all  arc  tired,  and  several  sick.  This 
heat  makes  me  useless,  and  constrains  me  to  lie  like  a  log.  Li- 
wardly  I  feel  tired  too.  Jangeange  leaves  us  to-morrow,  having 
found  canoes  going  to  Ljiji. 


SUXSET  OX  THE  LAKE. 


461 


October  10th. — People  very  tired,  and  it  being  moreover  Sun- 
day, we  rest.    Gave  each  a  keta  of  beads.    Usowa  chief  Ponda. 

October  Wtli. — Reach  Kaleina  district,  after  two  hours  and  three- 
quarters  over  black  mud  all  deeply  cracked,  and  many  deep  tor- 
rents now  dry.  Kalema  is  a  stockade.  We  see  Tanganyika,  but 
a  range  of  low  hills  intervenes.    A  rumor  of  war  to-morrow. 

October  12th.  —  We  wait  till  2  P.M.,  and  then  make  a  forced 
march  toward  Fipa.  The  people  cultivate  but  little,  for  fear  of 
enemies,  so  we  can  buy  few  provisions.  We  left  a  broad  valley 
with  a  sand  river  in  it,  where  we  have  been  two  days,  and  climbed 
a  range  of  hills  parallel  to  Tanganyika,  of  mica  schist  and  gneiss, 
tilted  away  from  the  Lake.  We  met  a  buffalo  on  the  top  of  one 
ridge :  it  was  shot  into,  and  lay  down,  but  we  lost  it.  Course 
south-west  to  brink  of  Tanganyika  water. 

October  13th. — Our  course  went  along  the  top  of  a  range  of 
hills  lying  parallel  with  the  Lake.  A  great  part  of  yesterday 
was  on  the  same  range.  It  is  a  thousand  feet  above  the  water, 
and  is  covered  with  trees  rather'  scraggy.  At  sunset  the  red 
glare  on  the  surfoce  made  the  water  look  like  a  sea  of  reddish 
gold;  it  seemed  so  near  that  many  went  off  to  drink,  but  were 
three  or  four  hours  in  doing  so.  One  can  not  see  the  other  side 
on  account  of  the  smokes  in  the  air;  but  this  morning  three  capes 
jut  out,  and  the  last,  bearing  south-east  from  our  camp,  seems  to 
go  near  the  other  side.  Very  hot  weather.  To  the  town  of  Fipa 
to-morrow.  Course  about  south.  TliouQ-h  we  suffer  much  from 
the  heat  by  traveling  at  this  season,  we  escape  a  vast  number  of 
running  and  often  muddy  rills,  also  muddy  paths,  which  would 
soon  knock  the  donkey  up.  A  milk -and -water"  sky  portends 
rain.  Tipo  Tipo  is  reported  to  be  carrying  it  with  a  high  hand 
in  Nsama's  country,  Itawa,  insisting  that  all  the  ivory  must  be 
brought  as  his  tribute — the  conqueror  of  Nsama.  Our  drum  is 
the  greatest  object  of  curiosity  we  have  to  the  Banyamwezi.  A 
very  great  deal  of  cotton  is  cultivated  all  along  the  shores  of  Lake 
Tanganyika;  it  is  the  Pcrnambuco  kind,  with  the  .seeds  clinging 
together,  but  of  good  and  long  ril)re,  and  the  trees  are  left  stand- 
ing all'  the  year  to  enable  them  to  become  large :  grain  and  ground- 
nuts are  cultivated  between  them.  Tlie  cotton  is  manufactured 
into  coarse  cloth,  which  is  tlie  general  clothing  of  all. 

October  14<//. — Crossed  two  deep  gullies  with  sluggish  water  in 
them,  and  one  surrounding  an  old  stockade.  Camp  on  a  knoll, 
overlooking  modern  stockade  and  Tanganyika  very  pleasantly. 
Saw  two  boaulifid  sultanas  with  aznre-blne  necks.  We  might 
have  come  here  3'csterday,  but  were  too  tired.    Mukembu  land 


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LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


is  ruled  by  Chief  Kariaria  ;  village,  Mokaria.  Mount  M'Pumbwd 
goes  into  the  Lake.  N'Tambwe  Mount;  village,  Kafumfwe.  Ka- 
pufi  is  the  chief  of  Fipa. 

Noon,  and  about  fifty  feet  above  Lake-,  clouded  over.  Tem- 
perature, 91°  noon  ;  9-i°  3  p.m. 

October  Iblh. — Rest,  and  kill  an  ox.  The  dry  heat  is  distress- 
ing, and  all  feel  it  sorely.  I  am  right  . glad  of  the  rest,  but  keep 
on  as  constantly  as  I  can.  By  giving  dura  and  maize  to  the  don- 
keys, and  riding  on  alternate  days,  they  hold  on;  but  I  feel  the 
sun  more  than  if  walking.    The  chief  Kariaria  is  civil. 

October  16th. — Leave  Mokaia  and  go  south.  We  crossed  sev- 
eral bays  of  Tanganyika,  the  path  winding  considerably.  The 
people  set  fire  to  our  camp^  as  soon  as  we  started. 

October  17th. — Leave  a  bay  of  Tanganyika,  and  go  on  to  Mpimb- 
we:  two  lions  growled  savagely  as  we  passed.  '  Game  is  swarm- 
ing here,  but  my  men  can  not  shoot  except  to  make  a  noise.  We 
found  many  Lepidosirens  in  a  muddy  pool,  which  a  group  of  vul- 
tures were  catching  and  eating.  The  men  speared  one  of  them, 
which  had  scales  on ;  its  tail  had  been  bitten  off  by  a  cannibal 
brother:  in  length  it  was  about  two  feet:  there  were  curious  roe- 
like portions  near  its  backbone,  yellow  in  color;  the  flesh  was 
good.  We  climbed  up  a  pass  at  the  east  end  of  Mpimbwd  Mount- 
ain, and  at  a  rounded  mass  of  it  found  water. 

October  18ih. — Went  on  about  south  among  mountains  all  da}- 
till  we  came  down,  by  a  little  westing,  to  the  Lake  again,  where 
there  were  some  large  villages,  well  stockaded,  with  a  deep  gully 
half  round  them.  Ill  with  my  old  complaint  again.  Bubwc  is 
the  chief  here.  Food  dear,  because  Simba  made  a  raid  lately. 
The  country  is  Kilando. 

October  19th. — Remained  to  prepare  food  and  rest  the  people. 
Two  islets,  Nkoma  and  Kalenge,  are  here,  the  latter  in  front  of  us. 

October  20th. — We  got  a  water -buck  and  a  laro;c  bufi'alo,  and 
remained  during  the  forenoon  to  cut  up  the  meat,  and  started  at 

2  P.M. 

Went  on,  and  passed  a  large  arm  of  Tanganyika,  having  a  bar 
of  hills  on  its  outer  border.  Country  swarming  with  large  game. 
Passed  two  bomas,  and  spent  the  night  near  one  of  them.  Course 
east,  and  then  south. 

October  2lst. — Mokassa,  a  Moganda  boy,  has  a  swelling  of  the 
ankle,  which  prevents  his  walking.  We  went  one  hour  to  find 
wood  to  make  a  litter  for  him.  The  bomas  round  the  villages 
are  plastered  with  mud,  so  as  to  intercept  balls  or  arrows.  The 
trees  are  all  cut  down  for  these  stockades,  and  the  flats  arc  cut  up 


MOUNTAIN  CLIMBING. 


4G3 


with  deep  gullies.  A  great  deal  of  cotton  is  cultivated,  of  which 
the  people  make  their  cloth.  Tliere  is  au  arm  of  Tanganyika 
here,  called  Kafungia. 

I  sent  a  doti  to  the  head  man  of  the  village,  where  we  made 
the  litter,  to  ask  for  a  guide  to  take  us  straight  south  instead  of 
going  east  to  Fipa,  which  is  four  days  off,  and  out  of  our  course. 
Tipo  Tipo  is  said  to  be  at  Morero,  west  of  Tanganyika. 

October  22c?. — Turned  back  westward,  and  went  through  the 
hills  down  to  some  large  islets  in  the  Lake,  and  camped  in  vil- 
lages destroyed  by  Simba.  A  great  deal  of  cotton  is  cultivated 
here,  about  thirty  feet  above  the  Lake. 

Oduhcr  2Sd. — First  east,  and  then  passed  two  deep  bays,  at  one 
of  which  we  put  up,  as  they  had  food  to  sell.  The  sides  of  the 
Tanganyika  Lake  are  a  succession  of  rounded  bays,  answering  to 
the  valleys  which  trend  down  to  the  shore  between  the  numerous 
ranges  of  hills.  In  Lake  Nj-assa  they  seem  made  by  the  prevail- 
ing winds.  ^Ye  only  get  about  one  hour  and  a  half  south  and  by 
east.  Rain  probably  fell  last  night,  for  the  opposite  shore  is  vis- 
ible to-day.  The  mountain  range  of  Banda  slopes  down  as  it 
goes  south.  This  is  the  district  of  Motoshi.  Wherever  buffaloes 
are  to  be  caught,  falling  tiaps  are  suspended  over  the  path  in  the 
trees  near  the  water. 

October  2ith. — There  are  many  rounded  bays  in  mountainous 
Fipa.  We  rested  two  hours  in  a  deep,  shady  dell,  and  then  came 
along  a  very  slippery  mountain-side  to  a  village  in  a  stockade. 
It  is  very  hot  to-day,  and  the  first  thunder-storm  away  in  the 
east.    The  name  of  this  village  is  Linde. 

October  2oth. — The  coast  runs  south-south-east  to  a  cape.  We 
went  up  south-east,  then  over  a  high  steep  hill  to  turn  to  south 
again,  then  down  into  a  valley  of  Tanganyika,  over  another 
stony  side,  and  down  to  a  dell  with  a  village  in  it.  The  west 
coast  is  very  plain  to-day  ;  rain  must  have  fallen  there. 

October  26lh. — Over  hills  and  mountains  again,  past  two  deep 
bays,  and  on  to  a  large  bay  with  a  prominent  islet  on  the  south 
side  of  it,  called  Kitanda,  from  the  chief's  name.  There  is  also 
a  rivulet  of  fine  water  of  the  same  name  here. 

October  27th. — Remained  to  buy  food,  which  is  very  dear.  We 
slaughtered  a  tired  cow  to  exchange  for  provisions. 

October  2Slh. — Left  Kitanda,  and  came  round  tlie  cape,  going 
south.  Tlie  cape  farthest  nortli  bore  nortli-north-wcst.  We  came 
to  three  villages  and  some  large  spreading  trees,  wlicrc  we  were 
invited  by  the  head  man  to  remain,  as  the  next  stage  along  the 
shore  is  long.    Morilo  islet  is  on  the  other  or  western  side,  at  the 


464 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


crossing- place.  The  people  brought  in  a  leopard  in  great  tri- 
umph. Its  mouth  and  all  its  claws  were  bound  with  grass  and 
bands  of  bark,  as  if  to  make  it  quite  safe,  and  its  tail  was  curled 
round:  drumming  and  lullilooing  in  plenty. 

The  chief  Mosirwa,  or  Kasamane,  paid  us  a  visit,  and  is  pre- 
paring a  present  of  food.  One  of  his  men  was  bitten  by  the  leop- 
ard in  the  arm  before  be  killed  it.  Molilo,  or  Morilo,  islet  is  the 
crossing-place  of  Banyamwezi  when  bound  for  Casembe's  coun- 
tr}^,  and  is  near  to  the  Lofuko  Eiver,  on  the  western  shore  of  the 
Lake.  The  Lake  is  about  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  broad,  at  lati- 
tude 7°  52'  S.  Tipo  Tipo  is  ruling  in  Itawa,  and  bound  a  chief 
in  chains,  but  loosed  him  on  being  requested  to  do  so  by  Syde 
bin  All.    It  takes  about  three  hours  to  cross  at  Moi'ilo. 

October  29th.  —  Crossed  the  Thembwa  rivulet,  twenty  feet 
broad  and  knee-deep,  and  sleep  on  its  eastern  bank.  Fine  cold 
water,  ovei  stony  bottom.  The  mountains  now  close  in  on  Tan- 
ganyika, so  there  is  no  path  but  one,  over  which  luggage  can  not 
be  carried.  The  stage  after  this  is  six  hours  uphill  before  we 
come  to  water.  This  forced  me  to  stop  after  onl}'  a  short,  crook- 
ed march  of  two  hours  and  a  quarter.  We  are  now  on  the  con- 
fines of  Fipa.    The  next  march  takes  us  into  Burungu. 

October  SOth.  —  The  highest  parts  of  the  mountains  are  from 
five  to  seven  hundred  feet  higher  than  the  passes,  say  from  thir- 
teen to  fifteen  hundred  feet  above  the  Lake.  A  very  rough 
march  to-day ;  one  cow  fell,  and  was  disabled.  The  stones  are 
collected  in  little  heaps  and  rows,  which  shows  that  all  these 
rough  mountains  were  cultivated.  We  arrive  at  a  village  on 
the  Lake  shore.  Kirila  islet  is  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
the  shore.  The  Megunda  people  cultivated  these  hills  in  former 
times.  Thunder  all  the  morning,  and  a  few  drops  of  rain  fell. 
It  will  ease  the  men's  feet  when  it  does  fall.  They  call  out  ear- 
nestly for  it,  "Come,  come  with  hail!"  and  prepare  their  huts  for  it. 

October  Bint. — Through  a  long  pass,  after  we  had  climbed  over 
Winelao.  Came  to  an  islet  a  mile  and  a  half  long,  called  Ka- 
pessa,  and  then  into  a  long  pass.  The  population  of  Megunda 
must  have  been  prodigious,  for  all  the  stones  have  been  cleared, 
and  every  available  inch  of  soil  cultivated.  The  population  are 
said  to  have  been  all  swept  away  by  the  Matuta. 

Going  south,  we  came  to  a  very  large  arm  of  the  Lake,  with 
a  village  at  the  end  of  it  in  a  stockade.  This  arm  is  seven  or 
eight  miles  long  and  about  two  broad.  We  killed  a  cow  to-da^y, 
and  found  peculiar  flat  worms  in  the  substance  of  the  liver,  and 
some  that  were  rounded. 


DECEIVED  BY  A  GUIDE. 


465 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

False  Guides. — Very  difficult  Traveling. — Donkey  dies  of  Tsetse  Bites. — The  Ka-  " 
sonso  Family. — A  hosjiitable  Chief. — The  River  Lofu. — The  Nutmeg-tree. — Fam- 
ine.— 111. — Arrives  at  Cliama's  Town. — A  Difficulty. — An  immense  Snake. — Ac- 
count of  Casembe's  Death. — The  Flowers  of  the  Babisa  Country. — Reaches  the 
River  Lojjoposi. — Arrives  at  Chitutikue's. — Terrible  Marching. — The  Doctor  is 
borne  through  the  flooded  Conntry. 

Kbveniher  Ist^  1872. — We  hear  that  an  eruption  of  Babemba, 
on  the  Baulungu,  destroyed  all  the  food.  We  tried  to  buy  food 
here,  but  every  thing  is  hidden  in  the  mountains :  so  we  have  to 
wait  to-day  till  they  fetch  it.  If  in  time,  we  shall  make  an  after- 
noon's march.  Raining  to-day.  The  River  Mulu  from  Cbin- 
golao  gave  us  much  trouble  in  crossing,  from  being  filled  with 
vegetation  :  it  goes  into  Tanganyika.    Our  course  south  and  east. 

Noveiiiher  2d. — Deceived  by  a  guide,  who  probably  feared  his 
countrymen  in  front.  Went  round  a  stony  cape,  and  then  to  a 
land-locked  harbor,  three  miles  long  by  two  broad.  Here  was  a 
stockade,  where  our  guide  absconded.  They  told  us  that  if  we 
continued  our  march  we  should  not  get  water  for  four  hours ;  so 
we  rested,  having  marched  four  hours  and  a  quarter. 

November  Sd. — We  marched  this  morning  to  a  village  where 
food  was  reported.  I  had  to  punish  two  useless  men  for  calling 
out,  "Posho!  posho!  posho!"  (rations)  as  soon  as  I  came  near. 
One  is  a  confirmed  bangd-smoker  ;*  the  blows  were  given  slight- 
ly, but  I  promised  that  the  next  should  be  severe.  The  peoi)lc 
of  Liemba  village,  having  a  cow  or  two,  and  some  sheep  and 
goats,  eagerly  advised  us  to  go  on  tQ  the  next  village,  as  being 
just  behind  a  hill,  and  well  provisioned.  Four  very  rough  hills 
were  the  penalty  of  our  credulity,  taking  four  hours  of  incessant 
toil  in  these  mountain  fastnesses.  They  hide  their  food,  and  the 
paths  are  the  most  difficult  that  can  be  found,  in  order  to  wear 
out  their  enemies.  To-day  we  got  to  the  River  Luazi,  having 
marched  five  hours  and  a  half,  and  sighting  Tanganyika  near  us 
twice. 

November  Ath.  —  All  very  tired.    We  tried  to  get  food,  but  it 


*  BanRC,  or  hemp,  in  time  produces  partial  idiocy  if  smoked  in  excess.  It  is  used 
among  all  the  interior  tribes. 


466 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


is  very  dear,  and  difficult  to  bargain  for.  Goods  are  probably 
brought  from  Fipa.    A  rest  will  be  beneficial  to  us. 

November  bth. — "We  went  up  a  high  mountain,  but  found  that 
one  of  the  cows  could  not  climb  up ;  so  I  sent  back  and  ordered 
it  to  be  slaughtered,  waiting  on  the  top  of  the  mountain  while 
the  people  went  down  for  water. 

November  6tli.  —  Pass  a  deep,  narrow  bay  and  climb  a  steep 
mountain.  Too  much  for  the  best  donkey.  After  a  few  hours' 
climb,  we  look  down  on  the  Lake,  with  its  many  bays.  A  sleepy 
glare  floats  over  it.  Farther  on  we  came  on  a  ledge  of  rocks, 
and  looked  sheer  down  five  or  six  hundred  feet  into  its  dark- 
green  waters.  We  saw  three  zebras  and  a  young  python  here, 
and  fine  flowers. 

November  7(h,  Sunday. — Remained,  but  the  head  man  forbade 
his  people  to  sell  us  food.  We  keep  quiet  except  to  invite  him 
to  a  parley,  which  he  refuses,  and  makes  loud  lullilooing  in  de- 
fiance, as  if  he  were  inclined  to  fighting.  At  last,  seeing  that 
we  took  no  notice  of  him,  he  sent  us  a  present:  I  returned  three 
times  its  value. 

November  8tJi. — The  large  donkey  is  very  ill,  and  unable  to 
climb  the  high  mountain  in  our  front.  I  left  men  to  coax  him 
on,  and  they  did  it  well.  I  then  sent  some  to  find  a  path  out 
from  the  Lake  mountains,  for  they  will  kill  us  all;  others  were  dis- 
patched to  buy  food,  but  the  Lake  folks  are  poor  except  in  fish. 

Swifts,  in  flocks,  were  found  on  the  Lake  when  ^we  came  to  it, 
and  there  are  small  migrations  of  swallows  ever  since.  Though 
this  is  the  very  hottest  time  of  year,  and  all  the  plants  are  burn- 
ed off  or  quite  dried,  the  flowers  persist  in  bursting  out  of  the 
hot,  dry  surface,  generally  without  leaves.  A  purple  ginger,  with 
two  yellow  patches  inside,  is  very  lovely  to  behold,  and  it  is  al- 
ternated with  one  of  a  bright  canar}^  yellow;  many  trees,  too, 
put  on  their  blossoms.  The  sun  makes  the  soil  so  hot  that  the 
radiation  is  as  if  it  came  from  a  furnace.  It  burns  the  feet  of  the 
people,  and  knocks  them  up.  Subcutaneous  inflammation  is  fre- 
quent in  the  legs,  and  makes  some  of  my  most  hardy  men  use- 
less. We  have  been  compelled  to  slowness  very  much  against 
my  will.  I,  too,  was  ill,  and  became  better  only  by  marching  on 
foot.  Riding  exposes  one  to  the  bad  influence  of  the  sun,  while 
by  walking  the  perspiration  modifies  beneficially  the  excessive 
heat.  It  is  like  the  difference,  in  effect,  of  cold  if  one  is  in  activ- 
ity, or  sitting  and  falling  asleep  on  a  stage-coach.  I  know  ten 
hot  fountains  north  of  the  Orange  River:  the  farther  north,  the 
more  hot  and  numerous  they  become. 


LEAVES  THE  LAKE. 


467 


[Just  here  we  find  a  note,  which  does  not  bear  reference  to  any 
thing  that  occurred  at  this  time.  Men,  in  the  midst  of  their  hard, 
earnest  toil,  perceive  great  truths  with  a  sharpness  of  outline  and 
a  depth  of  conviction  which  is  denied  to  the  mere  idle  theorist : 
he  says :] 

The  spirit  of  missions  is  the  spirit  of  our  Master:  the  very 
genius  of  His  religion.  A  diffusive  philanthropy  is  Christianity 
itself.  It  requires  perpetual  propagation  to  attest  its  genuine- 
ness. 

November  9th. — We  got  very  little  food,  and  kill  a  calf  to  fill 
our  mouths  a  little.  A  path  east  seems  to  lead  out  of  these  mount- 
ains of  Tanganyika.  We  went  on  east  this  morning  in  highland 
open  forest,  then  descended  by  a  long  slope  to  a  valley  in  which 
there  is  water.  Many  Milenga  gardens,  but  the  people  keep  out 
of  sight.  The  highlands  are  of  a  purple  color,  from  the  new 
leaves  coming  out.  The  donkey  began  to  eat,  to  my  great  joy. 
Men  sent  off  to  search  for  a  village  return  empty-handed,  and  we 
must  halt.    I  am  ill,  and  losing  much  blood. 

November  10th. — Out  from  the  Lake  mountains,  and  along 
high  ridges  of  sandstone  and  dolomite.  Our  guide  volunteered 
to  take  the  men  on  to  a  place  where  food  can  be  bought — a  very 
acceptable  offer.  The  donkey  is  recovering:  it  was  distinctly 
the  effects  of  tsetse,  for  the  eyes  and  all  the  mouth  and  nostrils 
swelled.  Another  died  at  Kwihara  with  every  symptom  of 
tsetse  poison  fully  developed. 

[The  above  remarks  on  the  susceptibility  of  the  donkey  to  the 
bite  of  tlie  tsetse  fly  are  exceedingly  important.  Hitherto  Dr. 
Livingstone  had  always  maintainecl,  as  the  result  of  his  own  ob- 
servations, that  this  animal,  at  all  events,  could  be  taken  through 
districts  in  which  horses,  mules,  dogs,  and  oxen  would  perish  to 
a  certainty.  With  the  keen  perception  and  perseverance  of  one 
who  was  exploring  Africa  with  a  view  to  open  it  up  for  Euro- 
peans, he  laid  great  stress  on  these  experiments,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  tiiat  the  distinct  result  which  he  here  arrived  at  must  have 
a  very  significant  bearing  on  the  question  of  travel  and  transport. 

Still  passing  through  the  same  desolate  country,  we  see  that 
he  niakes  a  note  on  the  forsaivcn  fields  and  tlie  watcli-towers  in 
them.  Cucumbers  are  cultivated  in  large  quantities  by  the  na- 
tives in  Inner  Africa,  and  the  reader  will  no  doubt  call  to  mind 
the  simile  adopted  by  Isaiah  some  twenty -five  hundred  years 
ago,  as  he  pictured  the  coming  d(>solation  of  Zion,  likening  her 
to  a  "lodge  in  a  garden  of  ciuMiinbcrs."*] 


•  Isniiili  i.,  8. 


468 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUBXALS. 


November  11th.  —  Over  gently  undulating  country,  with  man}' 
old  gardens  and  watch-houses,  some  of  great  height :  we  reached 
the  Kiver  Kalambo,  which  I  know  as  falling  into  Tanganyika. 
A  branch  joins  it  at  the  village  of  Mosapasi :  it  is  deep,  and  has 
to  be  crossed  b}'^  a  bridge,  while  the  Kalambo  is  shallow,  and  say 
twenty  yards  wide,  but  it  spreads  out  a  good  deal. 

[Their  journey  of  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  led  them  over  low 
ranges  of  sandstone  and  hematite,  and  past  several  strongl}-  stock- 
aded villages.  The  weather  was  cloudy  and  showery — a  relief, 
no  doubt,  after  the  burning  heat  of  the  last  few  weeks.  They 
struck  the  Halocheche  River,  a  rapid  stream  fifteen  3'ards  wide 
and  thigh-deep,  on  its  way  to  the  Lake,  and  arrived  at  Zombe's 
town,  which  is  built  in  such  a  manner  that  the  river  runs  through 
it,  while  a  stiff  palisade  surrounds  it.    He  says :] 

It  was  entirely  surrounded  by  M'toka's  camp,  and  a  constant 
fight  maintained  at  the  point  where  the  line  of  stakes  was  weak- 
ened by  the  river  running  through.  He  killed  four  of  the  ene- 
my, and  then  Chitimbwa  and  Kasonso  coming  to  help  him,  the 
siege  was  raised. 

M'toka  compelled  some  Malongwana  to  join  him,  and  plunder- 
ed many  villages:  he  has  been  a  great  scourge.  He  also  seems 
to  have  made  an  attack  upon  an  Arab  caravan,  plundering  it  of 
six  bales  of  cloth  and  one  load  of  beads,  telling  them  that  if  they 
wanted  to  get  their  things  back  they  must  come  and  help  him 
conquer  Zombe.  The  siege  lasted  three  months,  till  the  two 
brothers  of  Zombd,  before  mentioned,  came,  and  then  a  complete 
rout  ensued.  M'toka  left  nearly  all  his  guns  behind  him :  his 
allies,  the  Malongwana,  had  previously  made  their  escape.  It  is 
two  months  since  this  rout,  so  we  have  been  prevented  by  a  kind 
Providence  from  coming  soon  enough.  He  was  impudent  and 
extortionate  before,  and  much  more  now  that  he  has  been  em- 
boldened by  success  in  plundering. 

November  IQth. — After  waiting  some  time  for  the  men,  I  sent  men 
back  yesterday  to  look  after  the  sick  donkey ;  they  arrived,  but 
the  donkey'  died  this  morning.  Its  death  was  evidently  caused 
by  tsetse  bite  and  bad  usage  by  one  of  the  men,  who  kept  it  for- 
ty-eight hours  without  water.  The  rain,  no  doubt,  helped  to  a 
fatal  end :  it  is  a  great  loss  to  me. 

November  17th. — We  went  on  along  the  bottom  of  a  high  ridge 
that  fianks  the  Lake  on  the  west,  and  then  turned  up  south-cast 
to  a  village  hung  on  the  edge  of  a  deep  chasm  in  which  flows  the 
Aeezy. 

November  ISlh. — We  were  soon  overwlielmed  in  a  pouring  rain, 


LKiHTEXED  LOADS. 


469 


and  had  to  climb  up  the  slippery  red  patli  which  is  parallel  and 
near  to  Mbette's.  One  of  the  men  picked  up  a  little  girl  who  had 
been  deserted  by  her  mother.  As  she  was  benumbed  by  cold  and 
wet,  he  carried  her;  but  when  I  came  up  he  threw  her  into  the 
grass.  I  ordered  a  man  to  carry  her,  and  we  gave  her  to  one  of 
the  childless  women :  she  is  about  four  years  old,  and  not  at  all 
negro- looking.  Onr  march  took  us  about  south-west  to  Kam- 
pamba's,  the  son  of  Kasonso,  who  is  dead. 

Noiember  19lh. — I  visited  Kampamba.  He  is  still  as  agreeable 
as  he  was  before  when  he  went  with  us  to  Liemba.  I  gave  him 
two  cloths  as  a  present.  He  has  a  good-sized  village.  There  are 
heavy  rains  now  and  then  every  day. 

November  20th,  21st,  23d. — The  men  turn  to  stringing  beads  for 
future  use,  and  to  all  except  defaulters  I  give  a  present  of  two 
dotis,  and  a  handful  of  beads  each.  I  have  diminished  the  loads 
considerably,  which  pleases  them  much.  We  have  now  three  and 
a  half  loads  of  calico,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  bags  of  beads. 
Several  go  idle,  but  have  to  do  any  odd  work,  such  as  helping  the 
sick  or  any  thing  they  are  ordered  to  do.  I  gave  the  two  Nas- 
sickers  who  lost  the  cow  and  calf  only  one  doti ;  they  were  worth 
fourteen  dotis.  One  of  our  men  is  behind,  sick  with  dysentery. 
I  am  obliged  to  leave  him,  but  have  sent  for  him  twice,  and  have 
given  him  cloth  and  beads. 

November  2-ltli. — Left  Kampamba's  to-day,  and  cross  a  meadow 
south-east  of  the  village,  in  which  the  River  Muanani  rises.  It 
flows  into  the  Kapondosi,  and  so  on  to  the  Lake.  We  made 
good  way  with  Kitencka  as  our  guide,  who  formerly  accompa- 
nied Kampamba  and  ourselves  to  Liemba.  We  went  over  a  flat 
country  once  covered  with  trees,  but  now  these  have  all  been  cut 
down,  say  four  to  five  feet  from  the  ground  ;  most  likely  for  clear- 
ing, as  the  reddish  soil  is  very  fertile.  Long  lines  of  hills  of  de- 
nudation arc  in  the  distance,  all  directed  to  the  Lake. 

We  came  at  last  to  Kasonso's  successor's  village,  on  the  River 
Molulwe,  which  is  say  thirty  yards  wide  and  thigh-deep.  It  goes 
to  the  Lofu.  The  chief  here  gave  a  sheep — a  w^elcome  present, 
for  I  was  out  of  flesh  for  four  days.  Kampamba  is  stingy,  as  com- 
pared with  his  father. 

Noveynhcr  2btli.  —  We  came,  in  an  hour's  march,  to  a  rivulet 
called  the  Cascmbe :  the  departed  Ka.sonso  lived  here.  Tht; 
stream  is  very  deep,  and  flows  slowly  to  the  Lofu.  Our  path 
lay  through  much  pollarded  forest,  troublesome  to  walk  in,  as 
the  stumps  send  out  leafy  shoots. 

November  26lh. — Started  at  day-break.    The  grass  was  loaded 

32 


470 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUEXALS. 


■with  dew,  and  a  heavy  mist  hung  over  every  thing.  Passed  two 
villages  of  people  come  out  to  cultivate  this  very  fertile  soil, 
which  they  manure  by  burning  branches  of  trees.  The  rivulet 
Loela  flows  here,  and  is  also  a  tributary  of  the  Lofu. 

November  21th. — As  it  is  Sunday,  we  stay  here  at  N'dari's  vil- 
lage, for  we  shall  be  in  an  uninhabited  track  to-morrow  beyond 
the  Lofu.  The  head  man  cooked  six  messes  for  us,  and  begged 
us  to  remain  for  more  food,  which  we  buy.  He  gave  us  a  hand- 
some present  of  flour  and  a  fowl,  for  which  I  return  him  a  pres- 
ent of  a  doti.  Very  heavy  rain  and  high  gusts  of  wind,  which 
wet  us  all. 

November  28lh. — We  came  to  the  Eiver  Lofu  in  a  mile.  It  is 
sixty  feet  across,  and  very  deep.  We  made  a  bridge,  and  cut  the 
banks  down,  so  that  the  donkey  and  cattle  could  pass  over.  It 
took  us  two  hours,  during  which  time  we  haul,ed  them  all  across 
with  a  rope.  We  were  here  misled  by  our  guide,  who  took  us 
across  a  marsh  covered  with  tufts  of  grass,  but  with  deep  water 
between,  that  never  dries:  there  is  a  path  which  goes  round  it. 
We  came  to  another  village  with  a  river,  which  must  be  crossed. 
No  stockade  here,  and  the  chief  allowed  us  to  camp  in  his  town. 
There  are  long  low  lines  of  hills  all  about.  A  man  came  to  the 
bridge  to  ask  for  toll-fee :  as  it  was  composed  of  one  stick  only, 
and  unfit  for  our  use  because  rotten,  I  agreed  to  pay  provided  be 
made  it  fit  for  our  large  company ;  but  if  I  remade  and  enlarged 
it,  I  said  he  ought  to  give  me  a  goat  for  the  labor.  He  slunk 
away,  and  we  laid  large  trees  across  where  previously  there  was 
but  one  rotten  pole. 

November  29 (h. —  Crossed  the  Loozi  in  two  branches,  and  climb- 
ed up  the  gentle  ascent  of  Malembe  to  the  village  of  Chiwe, 
whom  I  formerly  called  Chibwe,  being  misled  by  the  Yao  tongue. 
Ilamba  is  the  name  of  the  rill  at  liis  place.  The  Loozi's  two 
branches  were  waist-deep.  The  first  was  crossed  by  a  natural 
bridge  of  a  fig-tree  growing  across.  It  runs  into  the  Lofu,  which 
river  rises  in  Isunga  country  at  a  mountain  called  Kwitettd 
The  Chambcze  rises  east  of  this,  and  at  the  same  place  as  LouzAia. 

Chiwc  presented  a  small  goat  with  crooked  legs  and  some  mil- 
let flour,  but  he  grumbled  at  the  size  of  the  fathom  of  cloth  I 
gave.  I  offered  another  fathom  and  a  bundle  of  needles,  but  ho 
grumbled  at  this  too,  and  sent  it  back.  On  this  I  returned  his 
goat  and  marched. 

[The  road  Inv  through  the  same  country  among  low  hills,  for 
several  miles,  till  they  came,  on  December  1st,  to  a  rivulet  called 
Lovu  Katanta,  where,  curiously  enough,  they  found  a  nutmeg- 


THE  LAMPUSSI  RIVER. 


471 


tree  in  full  bearing.  A  wild  species  is  found  at  Angola,  on  the 
West  Coast,  and  it  was  probably  of  this  description,  and  not  the 
same  species  as  that  which  is  cultivated  in  the  East.  In  two 
places  he  says :] 

Who  planted  the  nutmeg-tree  on  the  Katanta? 

[Passing  on  with  heavy  rain  pouring  down,  they  now  found 
themselves  in  the  Wemba  country,  the  low  tree-covered  hills  ex- 
hibiting here  and  there  "fine-grained  schist,  and  igneous  rocks 
of  red,  white,  and  green  color."] 

Decemher  3d,  1872. — No  food  to  be  got  on  account  of  M'toka's 
and  Tipo  Tipo's  raids, 

A  stupid  or  perverse  guide  took  us  away  to-day  north-west  or 
west-north-west  The  villagers  refused  to  lead  us  to  Chipwite's, 
where  food  was  to  be  had ;  he  is  south-west  one  day  and  a  half 
off.  The  guide  had  us  at  his  mercy,  for  he  said,  "If  you  go 
south-west  you  will  be  five  daj's  without  food  or  people."  We 
crossed  the  Kauomba,  fifteen  yards  wide  and  knee-deep.  Here 
our  guide  disappeared,  and  so  did  the  path.  We  crossed  the 
Lampussi  twice;  it  is  forty  yards  wide  and  knee -deep.  Our 
course  is  west-north-west  for  about  four  hours  and  a  half  to-day. 
We  camped,  and  sent  men  to  search  for  a  village  that  has  food. 
My  third  barometer  (aneroid)  is  incurably  injured  by  a  fall:  the 
man  who  carried  it  slipped  on  a  clayey  path. 

Decemher  Aih. — Waiting  for  the  return  of  our  men  in  a  green 
"wooded  valley  on  the  Lampussi  River.  '  Those  who  were  sent 
yesterday  return  without  any  thing:  they  were  directed  falsely 
by  the  country  people,  where  naught  could  be  bought.  The 
people  themselves  are  living  on  grubs,  roots,  and  fruits.  The 
young  plasterer  Sphex  is  very  fat,  on  coming  out  of  its  clay 
house,  and  a  good  relish  for  food.  A  man  came  to  us  demand- 
ing his  wife  and  child;  they  are  probably  in  hiding.  The  slaves 
of  Tipo  Tipo  have  been  capturing  people.  "  One  sinner  destroy- 
eth  much  good !" 

December  6t/i. — The  people  cat  mushrooms  and  leaves.  My 
men  returned  about  5  p.m.  with  two  o&  Kafimbe's  men,  brincinK 
a  present  of  food  to  me.  A  little  was  bought,  and  we  go  on  to- 
morrow, to  sleep  two  nights  on  the  way,  and  so  to  Kafimbo,  who 
is  a  brother  of  N.sama's,  and  fights  hitn. 

Decemher  6(Ji. — We  cross  the  Lampussi  again,  and  up  to  a 
mountain,  along  which  we  go,  and  then  down  to  some  ruins. 
This  took  us  five  hours,  and  then,  with  two  liours  and  a  quarter 
more,  we  reach  Sintila.  Wc  hasten  along  as  fast  as  luuigrv  men 
(four  of  them  sick)  can  go,  to  get  food. 


472 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


■  December  7th. — Off  at  6.15  a.m.  A  leopard  broke  in  upon  us 
last  night  and  bit  a  woman.  She  screamed,  and  so  did  the  don- 
key, and  it  ran  off.  Our  course  lay  along  between  two  ranges 
of  low  hills ;  then,  where  they  ended,  we  went  by  a  good-sized 
stream  thirty  yards  or  so  across,  and  then  down  into  a  valley  to 
Kafimbe's. 

December  8th. — Very  heavy  rains.  I  visited  Kafimbe.  He  is 
an  intelligent  and  pleasant  young  man,  who  has  been  attacked 
several  times  by  Kitandula,  the  successor  of  Nsama.  of  Itawa,  and 
compelled  to  shift  from  Motononga  to  this  rivulet,  Motosi,  which 
flows  into  the  Kisi,  and  thence  into  Lake  Moero. 

December  9th. — Send  off  men  to  a  distance  for  food,  and  wait, 
of  course.  Here  there  is  none  for  either  love  or  money.  To-day 
a  man  came  from  the  Arab  party  at  Kumba-kumba's  with  a  pres- 
ent of  m'chele  and  a  goat.  He  reports  that. they  have  killed 
Casembe,  whose  people  concealed  from  him  the  approach  of  the 
enemy  till  they  were  quite  near.  Having  no  stockade,  he  fell  an 
easy  prey  to  them.  The  conquerors  put  his  head  and  all  his 
ornaments  on  poles.  His  pretty  wife  escaped  over  Mofwe, 
and  the  slaves  of  the  Arabs  ran  riot  everywhere.  We  sent 
a  return  present  of  two  dotis  of  cloth,  one  jorah  of  kanike, 
one  doti  of  colored  cloth,  three  pounds  of  beads,  and  a  paper  of 
needles. 

December  10th. — Left  Kafimbe's.  He  gave  us  three  men  to  take 
us  into  Chama's  village,  and  came  a  mile  along  the  road  with  us. 
Our  road  took  us  by  a  winding  course  from  one  little  deserted 
village  to  another, 

December  11th. — Being  far  from  water,  we  went  two  hours  across 
a  plain  dotted  with  villages  to  a  muddy  rivulet  called  the  Mukub- 
we  (it  runs  to  Moero),  where  we  found  the  village  of  a  nephew  of 
Nsama.  This  young  fellow  was  very  liberal  in  gifts  of  food,  and 
in  return  I  gave  him  two  cloths.  An  Arab,  Juma  bin  Seff,  sent 
a  goat  to-day.  They  have  been  riding  it  rough-shod  over  all  the 
inhabitants,  and  confess  it. 

December  12th.  —  Marenza  sent  a  present  of  dura  flour  and  a 
fowl,  and  asked  for  a  little  butter  as  a  charm.  He  seems  unwill- 
ing to  give  us  a  guide,  though  told  by  Kafimbd  to  do  so.  Many 
Garaganza  about :  they  trade  in  leglets,  ivory,  and  slaves.  We 
went  on  half  an  hour  to  the  Eiver  Mokoc,  which  is  thirty  yards 
wide,  and  carries  off  much  water  into  Malunda,  and  so  to  Lake 
Moero. 

When  palm-oil-palms  arc  cut  down  for  toddy,  they  arc  allowed 
to  lie  three  days,  then  the  top  shoot  is  cut  oft'  smoothly,  and  the 


LEECHES. 


473 


toddy  begins  to  flow  ;  and  it  flows  for  a  montb,  or  a  month  and  a 
half  or  so,  lying  on  the  soil. 

[The  note  made  on  the  following  day  is  written  with  a  feeble 
hand,  and  scarce  one  penciled  word  tallies  with  its  neighbor  in 
form  or  distinctness— in  fact,  it  is  seen  at  a  glance  what  exertion 
it  cost  him  to  write  at  all.  He  says  no  more  than  "ill"  in  one 
place,  but  this  is  the  evident  explanation ;  yet,  with  the  same 
painstaking  determination  of  old,  the  three  rivers  which  they 
crossed  have  their  names  recorded,  and  the  hours  of  marching 
and  the  direction  are  all  entered  in  his  pocket-book.] 

December  13th. — Westward  about  by  south,  and  crossed  a  river, 
Mokobwe,  thirty-five  yards.  Ill,  and  after  going  south-west  camp- 
ed in  a  deserted  village,  south-west,  traveling  five  hours.  River 
Mekanda,  2d ;  Meuomba,  3d,  where  we  camp. 

December  lith. — Guides  turned  north-west,  to  take  us  to  a  son 
of  Nsama,  and  so  play  the  usual  present  into  his  hands.  I  ob- 
jected when  I  saw  their  direction,  but  they  said,  "The  path  turns 
round  in  front."  After  going  a  mile  along  the  bank  of  the  Me- 
nomba,  which  has  much  water,  Susi  broke  through  and  ran  south, 
till  he  got  a  south-by-west  path,  which  we  followed,  and  came  to 
a  village  having  plenty  of  food.  As  we  have  now  camped  in  the 
village,  vfo  sent  the  men  off  to  recall  the  fugitive  women,  who 
took  us  for  Kumba-kumba's  men.  Crossed  the  Luperd,  which 
runs  into  the  Makobwe. 

A  leech  crawling  toward  me  in  the  village  this  morning  elicit- 
ed the  Bcmba  idea  that  they  fall  fi'om  the  clouds  or  sky — "mulu." 
It  is  called  here  "mosuiula  a  maluze,"  or  leech  of  the  rivers; 
"luba"  is  the  Zanzibar  name.  In  one  place  I  counted  nineteen 
leeches  in  our  path,  in  about  a  mile.  Ruin  had  fallen,  and  their 
appearance  out  of  their  hiding-places  suddenly  after  heavy  rain 
may  have  given  rise  to  the  idea  of  their  fall  with  it,  as  fishes  do, 
and  the  thunder- frog  is  supposed  to  do.  Always  too  cloudy  and 
rainy  for  observations  of  stars. 

December  15th. — The  country  is  now  level,  covered  with  trees 
pollarded  for  clothing,  and  to  make  ashes  of  for  manure.  There 
are  many  deserted  villages,  few  birds.  Cross  the  River  Lithabo, 
thirty  yards  wide  and  thigh-deep,  running  fast  to  the  south-west, 
joined  by  a  small  one  near.  Reached  village  of  Chipala,  on  the 
rivulet  Chikatula,  which  goes  to  Moipanza.  TIic  Lithabo  goes  to 
Kalongwcsi  by  a  south-west  course. 

December  16lh. — Olf  at  6  A.M.  across  the  Chikatula,  and  in  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour  crossed  the  Lopanza,  twelve  yards  wide  and 
waist-deep,  being  now  in  flood.    Tiic  liolela  was  before  us  in  half 


474 


LIVIXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUEXALS. 


an  hour,  eight  yards  wide  and  thigh-deep,  both  streams  perennial, 
and  embowered  in  tall  umbrageous  trees  that  love  wet:  both  flow 
to  the  Kalongwesi. 

We  came  to  quite  a  group  of  villages  having  food,  and  remain, 
as  we  got  only  driblets  in  the  last  two  camps.  Met  two  Banyam- 
wezi  carrying  salt  to  Lobemba,  of  Moambu.  They  went  to  Ka- 
buirc  for  it,  and  now  retail  it  on  the  way  back. 

At  noon  we  got  to  the  village  of  Kasiand,  which  is  close  to  two 
rivulets,  named  Lopanza  and  Lolela.  The  head  man,  a  relative 
of  Nsama,  brought  me  a  large  present  of  flour  of  dura,  and  I  gave 
him  two  fathoms  of  calico. 

Floods  by  these  sporadic  rain-falls  have  discolored  waters,  as 
seen  in  Lopanza  and  Lolela  to-day.  The  grass  is  all  springing 
up  quickly,  and  the  maleza  growing  fast.  The  trees  generally  in 
full  foliage.  Different  shades  of  green,  the  dark  prevailing,  es- 
pecially along  rivulets,  and  the  hills  in  the  distance  are  covered 
with  dark  blue  haze.  Here,  in  Lobemba,  they  are  gentle  slopes 
of  about  two  or  three  hundred  feet,  and  sandstone  crops  out  over 
their  tops.  In  some  parts  clay  schists  appear,  which  look  as  if 
they  had  been  fused,  or  were  baked  by  intense  heat. 

The  pugnacious  spirit  is  one  of  the  necessities  of  life.  When 
people  have  little  or  none  of  it,  they  are  subjected  to  indignity 
and  loss.  My  own  men  walk  into  houses,  where  we  pass  the 
nights  without  asking  any  leave,  and  steal  cassava  without  shame. 
I  have  to  threaten  and  thrash,  to  keep  them  honest,  while  if  we 
are  at  a  village  where  the  natives  are  a  little  pugnacious  they  are 
as  meek  as  sucking  doves.  The  peace  plan  involves  indignity 
and  wrong.  I  give  little  presents  to  the  head  men,  and  to  some 
extent  heal  their  hurt,  sensibilities.  This  is  indeed  much  appre- 
ciated, and  produces  profound  hand-clapping. 

December  17th.~lt  looked  rainy,  but  we  waited  half  an  hour, 
and  then  went  on  one  hour  and  a  half,  when  it  set  in,  and  forced 
us  to  seek  shelter  in  a  village.  The  head  of  it  was  very  civil, 
and  gave  us  two  baskets  of  cassava  and  one  of  dura.  I  gave  a 
small  present  first.  The  district  is  called  Kisinga,  and  flanks  the 
Kalongweze. 

December  18th. — Over  same  flat  pollarded  forest  until  we  reached 
the  Kalongwese  River  on  the  right  bank,  and  about  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  east  of  the  confluence  of  the  Luena  or  Kisaka.  This  side 
of  the  river  is  called  Kisinga,  the  other  is  Chama's,  and  Kisinga 
too.  The  Luena  comes  from  Jange  in  Casembe's  land,  or  west- 
south-west  of  this.  The  Kalongwese  comes  from  the  south-east 
of  this,  and  goes  away  north-west.    The  donkey  sends  a  foot  cv- 


A  FOOLISH  HEAD  MAN. 


475 


ery  now  and  then  through  the  roof  of  cavities  made  apparently 
by  ants,  and  sinks  down  eighteen  inches  or  more,  and  nearly 
falls.    These  covered  hollows  are  right  in  the  paths. 

December  19th. — So  cloudy  and  wet  that  no  observations  can  be 
taken  for  latitude  and  longitude  at  this  real  geographical  point. 
The  Kalongwese  is  sixty  or  eighty  yards  wide  and  four  yards 
deep,  about  a  mile  above  the  confluence  of  the  Luena.  We 
crossed  it  in  very  small  canoes,  and  swamped  one  twice,  but  no 
one  was  lost.    Marched  south  about  one  hour  and  a  quarter. 

December  20th. — Shut  in  by  heavy  clouds.  Wait  to  see  if  it 
will  clear  up.  Went  on  at  7.15,  drizzling,  as  we  came  near  the 
mozumba,  or  chief's  stockade.  A  son  of  Chama  tried  to  mislead 
us  by  setting  out  west ;  but  the  path  being  grass-covered,  I  ob- 
jected, and  soon  came  on  to  the  large,  clear  path.  The  guide 
ran  off  to  report  to  the  son,  but  we  kept  on  our  course,  and  he 
and  the  son  followed  us.  We  were  met  by  a  party,  one  of  whom 
tried  to  regale  us  by  vociferous  singing  and  trumpeting  on  an 
antelope's  horn,  but  I  declined  the  deafening  honor.  Had  we 
suffered  the  misleading,  we  should  have  come  here  to-morrow 
afternoon. 

A  wet  bed  last  night,  for  it  was  in  the  canoe  that  was  upset. 
It  was  so  rainy  that  there  was  no  drying  it. 

December  2lst. — Arrived  at  Chama's.  Heavy  clouds  drifting 
past,  and  falling  drizzle.  Chama's  brother  tried  to  mislead  us  yes- 
terday, in  hopes  of  making  us  wander  hopelessly  and  helpless- 
ly. Failing  in  this,  from  my  refusal  to  follow  a  grass- covered 
path,  he  ran  before  us  to  the  chief's  stockade,  and  made  all  the 
women  flee,  which  they  did,  leaving  their  chickens  damless.  We 
gave  him  two  handsome  cloths,  one  for  himself  and  one  for  Chama, 
and  .said  we  wanted  food  only,  and  would  buy  it.  They  are  accus- 
tomed to  the  bullying  of  half-castes,  who  take  what  they  like  for 
nothing.  They  are  alarmed  at  our  behavior  to-day,  so  we  took 
quiet  possession  of  the  stockade,  as  the  place  that  they  put  us  in 
was  on  the  open,  defenseless  plain.  Seventeen  human  skulls  or- 
nament the  stockade.  They  left  their  fowls  and  pigeons.  There 
was  no  bullying.  Our  women  went  in  to  grind  food,  and  came 
out  without  any  noise.  This  flight  scorns  to  be  caused  by  the 
foolish  brother  of  the  chief,  and  it  is  diflicult  to  prevent  stealing 
by  my  horde.  The  brother  came  drunk,  and  was  taking  off  a 
large  sheaf  of  arrows,  when  wc  scolded  and  provontcd  him. 

December  22(1. — We  crossed  a  rivulet  at  Ciiama's  village  ten 
yards  wide  and  thigh-deep,  and  afterward,  in  an  hour  and  a  half, 
came  to  a  sedgy  stream  which  we  could  barely  cross.    We  hauled 


476 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUBXALS. 


a  cow  across  bodily.  Went  on  mainly  south,  and  through  much 
bracken. 

December  2Sd. — Off  at  6  a.m.  in  a  mist,  and  in  an  hour  and  a 
quarter  came  to  three  large  villages  by  three  rills,  called  Misan- 
gwa,  and  much  sponge ;  went  on  to  other  villages  south,  and  a 
stockade. 

December  2Uh. — Cloud  in  sky,  with  drifting  clouds  from  south 
and  south-west.  Very  wet  and  drizzling.  Sent  back  Charaa's 
arrows,  as  his  foolish  brother  can  not  use  them  against  us  now : 
there  are  two  hundred  and  fifteen  in  the  bundle.  Passed  the 
Lopopussi,  running  west  to  the  Lofubu,  about  seven  yards  wide: 
it  flows  fast  over  rocks,  with  heavy  aquatic  plants.  The  people 
are  not  afraid  of  us  here,  as  they  were  so  distressingly  elsewhere. 
We  hope  to  buy  food  here,.  ■ 

December  2oth,  Christmas-day. — I  thank  the  gpod  Lord  for  the 
good  gift  of  his  Son  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.  Slaughtered  an  ox, 
and  gave  a  fundo  and  a  half  to  each  of  the  party.  This  is  our 
great  day,  so  we  rest.  It  is  cold  and  wet  day  and  night.  The 
head  man  is  gracious  and  generous,  which  is  very  pleasant  com- 
pared with  awe,  awe,  and  refusing  to  sell,  or  stop  to  speak,  or 
show  the  way. 

The  White  Nile  carrying  forward  its  large  quasi-tidal  wave, 
presents  a  mass  of  water  to  the  Bine  Nile  which  acts  as  a  buffer 
to  its  rapid  flood.  The  White  Nile  being  at  a  considerable  height 
when  the  Blue  rushes  down  its  steep  slopes,  presents  its  brother 
Nile  with  a  soft  cushion  into  which  it  plunges,  and  is  restrain- 
ed by  the  vis  inertice  of  the  more  slowly  moving  river,  and,  both 
united,  pass  on  to  form  the  great  inundation  of  the  year  in  Lower 
Egypt.  The  Blue  River  brings  down  the  heavier  portion  of  the 
Nile  deposit,  while  the  White  River  comes  down  with  the  black, 
finely  divided  matter  from  thousands  of  square  miles  of  forest 
in  Manyuema,  which  probably  gave  the  Nile  its  name,  and  is,  in 
fact,  the  real  fertilizing  ingredient  in  the  mud  that  is  annually 
left.  Some  of  the  rivers  in  Manyuema,  as  the  Luia  and  Machila, 
are  of  inky  blackness,  and  make  the  whole  main  stream  of  a  very 
Nilotic  hue.  An  acquaintance  with  these  dark -flowing  rivers, 
and  scores  of  rills  of  water  tinged  as  dark  as  strong  tea,  was  all 
my  reward  for  plunging  through  the  terrible  Manyuema  mud,  or 
"glaur." 

December  2Qth. — Along  among  the  usual  low  tree-covered  hills 
of  red  and  yellow  and  green  schists ;  paths  wet  and  slippery. 
Came  to  the  Lofubu,  fifteen  yards  broad  and  very  deep;  water 
clear,  flowing  north-west  to  join  Luena  or  Kisaka:  as  the  Lopo- 


DEATH  OF  CHIPANGAWAZI. 


477 


pussi  goes  west  too  into  Lofubu,  it  becomes  large,  as  we  saw. 
We  crossed  by  a  bridge,  and  the  donkey  swam  with  men  on 
each  side  of  him.  AVe  came  to  three  villages  on  the  other  side, 
with  many  iron  furnaces.  Wet  and  drizzling  weather  made  us 
stop  soon.  A  herd  of  buffaloes,  scared  by  our  party,  rushed  off, 
and  broke  the  trees  in  their  hurry ;  otherwise  there  is  no  game, 
or  marks  of  game,  visible. 

Deceinher  ^Itli. — Leave  the  villages  on  the  Lofubu.  A  cascade 
comes  down  on  our  left.  The  country  undulating  deeply  ;  the 
hills,  rising  at  times  three  to  four  hundred  feet,  are  covered  with 
stunted  wood.  There  is  much  of  the  common  bracken  fern  and 
hart's-tongue.  We  cross  one  rivulet  running  to  the  Lofubu,  and 
camp  by  a  blacksmith's  rill  in  the  jungle.  No  rain  fell  to-day,  for 
a  wonder,  but  the  lower  tier  of  clouds  still  drifts  past  from  north- 
west. 

I  killed  a  Naia  Hadje  snake  seven  feet  long  here;  he  reared 
up  before  me,  and  turned  to  fight.  The  under  north-west  stratum 
of  clouds  is  composed  of  fluffy,  cotttmy  masses,  the  edges  spread 
out  as  if  on  an  electrical  machine;  the  upper  or  south-east  is  of 
broad  fields,  like  striated  cat's  hair.  The  north-west  flies  quickly, 
the  south-east  slowly  away  where  the  others  come  from.  No  ob- 
servations have  been  possible  through  most  of  this  month.  Peo- 
ple assert  that  the  new  moon  will  bring  drier  weather,  and  the 
clouds  are  preparing  to  change  the  north-west  lower  stratum  into 
south-cast,  ditto,  ditto,  and  the  north-west  will  be  the  upper  tier. 

A  man,  ill  and  unable  to  come  on,  was  left  all  night  in  the  rain 
without  fire.  We  sent  men  back  to  carry  him.  Wet  and  cold. 
We  arc  evidently  ascending,  as  we  come  near,  the  Chambezc. 
The  north-east  clouds  came  up  this  morning  to  meet  the  north- 
west, and  thence  the  south-east  came  across,  as  if  combating  the 
north-west.  So  as  the  new  moon  comes  soon,  it  may  be  a  real 
change  to  drier  weather. 

4  P.M. — The  man  carried  in  here  is  very  ill :  we  must  carry 
him  to-morrow. 

Dccemhrr  29/Ii. — Our  man  Chipangawazi  died  last  night,  and 
was  buried  this  morning.  Ue  was  a  quiet,  good  man:  his  dis- 
ease began  at  Kampamba's.    New  moon  last  night. 

December  29///,  or  Janvarij  l.s7,  1873. — I  am  wrong  two  days. 

December  29l/i. — After  the  burial,  and  planting  four  branches 
of  moringa  at  the  corners  of  the  grave,  we  went  on  southward 
three  hours  and  a  quarter  to  a  riv(;r,  the  Luongo,  running  strong- 
ly west  and  south  to  the  Lnapula;  then  after  one  hour  crossed 
it,  twelve  yards  wide  and  waist-deep.    We  met  a  man,  with  four 


478 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


of  his  kindred,  stripping  off  bark  to  make  bark-cloth:  he  gives 
me  the  above  information  about  the  Luongo. 

January  1st,  1873  (30('/<). — Came  on  at  6  a.m.  ;  very  cold.  The 
rains  have  ceased  for  a  time.  Arrive  at  the  village  of  the  man 
who  met  us  yesterday.  As  we  have  been  unable  to  buy  food, 
through  the  illness  and  death  of  Chipangawazi,  I  camp  here. 

January  2d. — Thursday  :  Wednesday  was  the  1st.  I  was  two 
days  wrong., 

•  January  Zd.  —  The  villagers  very  anxious  to  take  us  to  the 
west  to  Chikumbi's,  but  I  refused  to  follow  them,  and  we  made 
our  coui'se  to  the  Luongo.  Went  into  the  forest  south,  without 
a  path,  for  one  hour  and  a  half,  then  through  a  flat  forest:  much 
fern,  and  no  game.  We  camped  in  the  forest  at  the  Situngula 
rivulet.  A  little  quiet  rain  through  the  night.  A  damp  climate 
this :  lichens  on  all  the  trees,  even  on  those  of. two  inches  diam- 
eter. Our  last  cow  died  of  injuries  received  in  crossing  the  Lo- 
fubu.    People  buy  it  for  food,  so  it  is  not  an  entire  loss. 

January  4th. — March  south  one  hour  to  the  Lopoposi,  or  Lo- 
popozi  stream,  of  twenty-five  or  thirty  feet,  and  now  breast-deep, 
flowing  fast  southward  to  join  the  Chambeze.  Camped  at  Kete- 
be's  at  2  P.M.,  on  the  rivulet  Kizima,  after  very  heavy  rain. 

January  5th. — A  woman  of  our  party  is  very  ill ;  she  will  re- 
quire to  be  carried  to-morrow. 

January  Qth.  —  Ketebe,  or  Kapesha,  very  civil  and  generous. 
He  sent  three  men  to  guide  us  to  his  elder  brother  Chungu.  The 
men  drum  and  sing  harshly  for  him  continually.  I  gave  him 
half  a  pound  of  powder,  and  he  lay  on  his  back  rolling  and  clap- 
ping his  hands,  and  all  his  men  lullilooed ;  then  he  turned  on  his 
front,  and  did  the  same.  The  men  are  very  timid — no  wonder, 
the  Arab  slaves  do  as  they  choose  with  them.  The  women  burst 
out  through  the  stockade  in  terror  when  my  men  broke  into  a 
chorus  as  they  were  pitching  my  tent.  Cold,  cloudy,  and  driz- 
zling.   Much  cultivation  far  from  the  stockades. 

The  sponges  here  are  now  full  and  overflowing,  from  the  con- 
tinuous and  heavy  rains.  Crops  of  mileza,  maize,  cassava,  dura, 
tobacco,  beans,  ground-nuts,  are  growing  finely.  A  border  is 
made  round  each  patch,  manured  by  burning  the  hedge,  and  cas- 
tor-oil plants,  pumpkins,  calabashes,  are  planted  in  it  to  spread  out 
over  the  grass. 

January  llh. — A  cold,  rainy  day  keeps  us  in  a  poor  village 
very  unwillingly.  3  P.M.  fair,  after  rain  all  the  morning:  on  to 
the  rivulet  Kumalopa,  which  runs  to  Kamolozzi  and  into  Kap- 
opozi. 


MUCH  HARDSHIP  FROM  SPONGES. 


479 


•  January  8th. — Detained  by  heavy,  continuous  rains  in  the  vil- 
lage Moenje.  We  are  near  Lake  Bangweolo,  and  in  a  damp  re- 
gion. Got  off  in  the  afternoon  in  a  drizzle.  Crossed  a  rill  six 
feet  wide,  but  now  very  deep,  and  with  large  running  sponges 
on  each  side ;  it  is  called  the  Kamalopa :  then  one  hour  beyond 
came  to  a  sponge,  and  a  sluggish  rivulet  one  hundred  yards 
broad,  with  broad  sponges  on  either  bank  waist-deep,  and  many 
leeches.  Came  on  through  flat  forest  as  usual  south-west  and 
south. 

[We  may  here  call  attention  to  the  alteration  of  the  face  of  the 
country,  and  the  prominent  notice  of  "sponges."  His  men  speak 
of  the  march  from  this  point  as  one  continual  plunge  in  and  out 
of  morass,  and  through  rivers  which  were  only  distinguishable 
from  the  surrounding  waters  by  their  deep  currents  and  the  ne- 
cessity for  using  canoes.  To  a  man  reduced  in  strength,  and  chron- 
ically afi'ected  with  dysenteric  symptoms  ever  likel}^  to  be  aggra- 
vated by  exposure,  the  effect  may  be  well  conceived  !  It  is  prob- 
able that  had  Dr.  Livingstone  been  at  the  head  of  a  hundred  pick- 
ed Europeans,  every  man  would  have  been  down  within  the  next 
fortnight.  As  it  is,  we  can  not  help  thinking  of  his  company  of 
followers,  who  must  have  been  well  led,  and  under  the  most  thor- 
ough control  to  endure  these  marches  at  all,  for  nothing  cows  the 
African  so  much  as  rain.  The  next  day's  journey  may  be  taken 
as  a  specimen  of  the  hardships  every  one  had  to  endure  :] 

JanuarTj  9ih. — Mosumba,  of  Chungu.  After  an  hour  we  cross- 
ed the  rivulet  and  sponge  of  Nkulumuna,  one  hundred  feet  of 
rivulet  and  two  hundred  yards  of  flood,  besides  some  two  hun- 
dred yards  of  sponge,  full,  and  running  off;  wc  then,  after  an- 
other hour,  crossed  the  large  rivulet  Lopopussi  by  a  bridge  which 
was  forty -five  feet  long,  and  showed  the  deep  water;  then  one 
hundred  yards  of  flood  thigh -deep,  and  two  or  three  hundred 
yards  of  sponge.  After  this  we  crossed  two  rills,  called  Lifi- 
kanda,  and  their  sponges,  the  rills  in  flood  ten  or  twelve  feet 
broad  and  thigh-deep.  After  crossing  the  last,  we  came  near  the 
Mosumba,  and  received  a  message  to  build  our  sheds  in  the  for- 
est, which  wc  did. 

Chungu  knows  what  a  nuisance  a  safari  (caravan)  makes  itself. 
Cloudy  day,  and  at  noon  heavy  rain  from  north-west.  The  head 
man,  on  receiving  two  cloths,  said  he  would' converse  about  our 
food  and  show  it  to-morrow.  No  observations  can  be  made,  from 
clouds  and  rain. 

Jamiary  lOth. — Mosumba,  of  Chungu.  Rest  to-day,  and  get 
an  insight  into  the  ford  :  cold,  rainy  weather.    When  wo  pre- 


480 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


pared  to  visit  Chungii,  we  received  a  message  that  he  had  gone 
to  his  plantations  to  get  millet.  He  then  sent  for  us  at  1  P.M.  to 
come,  but,  on  reaching  the  stockade,  we  heard  a  great  kelele,  or 
uproar,  and  found  it  being  shut  from  terror.  We  spoke  to  the 
inmates,  but  in  vain,  so  we  returned.  Chungu  says  that  we  should 
put  his  head  on  a  pole  like  Casembe's !  We  shall  go  on  without 
him  to-morrow.    The  terror  guns  have  inspired  is  extreme. 

Januartj  l\th.  —  Chungu  sent  a  goat  and  big  basket  of  flour, 
and  excused  his  fears  because  guns  had  routed  Casembe,  and  his 
head  was  put  on  a  pole:  it  was  his' young  men  that  raised  the 
noise.  We  remain  to  buy  food,  as  there  is  scarcity  at  Mombo, 
in  front.  Cold  and  rainy  weather;  never  saw  the  like;  but  this 
is  among  the  sponges  of  the  Nile,  and  near  the  northern  shores 
of  Bangweolo. 

January  12th. — A  dry  day  enabled  us  to  move  forward  an 
hour  to  a  rivulet  and  sponge,  but  by  ascending  it  we  came  to  its 
head,  and  walked  over  diy-shod;  then  one  hour  to  another 
broad  rivulet,  Pinda,  sluggish,  and  having  one  hundred  yards  of 
sponge  on  each  side.  This  had  a  stockaded  village,  and  the  men, 
in  terror,  shut  the  gates.  Our  men  climbed  over  and  opened 
them,  but  I  gave  the  order  to  move  forward  through  flat  forest 
till  we  came  to  a  running  rivulet  of  about  twenty  feet,  but  with 
one  hundred  yards  of  sponge  on  each  side.  The  white  sand  had 
come  out  as  usual,  and  formed  the  bottom.  Here  we  entered  a 
village,  to  pass  the  night.  We  passed  mines  of  fine  black  iron 
ore  ("  motapo  ") ;  it  is  magnetic. 

Jamiary  IBth. — Storm- stayed  by  rain  and  cold  at  the  village 
on  the  rivulet  Kalambosi,  near  the  Chambeze.  Never  was  in 
such  a  spell  of  cold,  rainy  weather  excej^t  in  going  to  Loanda  in 
1853.    Sent  back  for  food. 

January  14:th. — Went  on  dry  south-east,  and  then  south  two 
hours,  to  River  Mozingn,  and  marched  parallel  to  it  till  we  came 
to  the  confluence  of  Kasic.  Mosinga,  twenty -five  feet,  waist- 
deep,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  sponge  on  right  bank, 
and  about  fifty  yards  on  left.  There  are  many  plots  of  cas- 
sava, maize,  millet,  dura,  ground-nuts,  voandzeia,  in  the  forest, 
all  surrounded  with  strong,  high  hedges,  skillfully  built,  and  ma- 
nured with  wood- ashes.  The  villacers  are  much  afraid  of  us. 
After  four  hours  and  a  half  we  were  brought  up  by  the  deep 
rivulet  Mpanda,  to  be  crossed  to-morrow  in  canoes.  Tliere  are 
many  flowers  in  the  forest:  marigolds,  a  white  jonquil-looking 
flower  without  smell,  many  orchids,  white,  yellow,  and  pink  as- 
clcpias,  with  bunches  of  French-white  flowers,  clematis  {Methoni- 


DIFFICULTIES  ABOUT  GUIDES. 


481 


ca  5'?o?7C)5«),  gladiolus,  and  blue  and  deep-purple  polj^galas,  grasses 
with  white  starry  seed-vessels,  and  spikelets  of  brownish-red  and 
yellow.  Besides  these,  there  are  beautiful  blue  flowering  bulbs, 
and  new  flowers  of  pretty,  delicate  form,  and  but  little  scent. 
To  this  list  may  be  added  balsams,  compositse  of  blood-red  color 
and  of  purple  ;  other  flowers  of  liver  color,  bright  canary -yellow, 
pink  orchids  on  spikes  thickly  covered  all  round,  and  of  three 
inches  in  length;  spiderworts  of  fine  blue  or  yellow,  or  even 
pink.  Different  colored  asclepedials ;  beautiful  yellow  and  red 
umbelliferous  flowering  plants;  dill  and  wild  parsnips;  pretty 
flowery  aloes,  yellovir  and  red,  in  one  whorl  of  blossoms ;  pease, 
and  many  other  flowering  plants  which  I  do  not  know.  Very 
few  birds,  or  any  kind  of  game.  The  people  are  Babisa,  who 
have  fled  from  the  west,  and  are  busy  catching  fish  in  basket- 
traps. 

January  loth. — Found  that  Chungu  had  let  us  go  astray  to- 
ward the  Lake,  and  into  an  angle  formed  by  the  Mpanda  and 
Lopopussi,  and  the  Lake  full  of  rivulets  which  are  crossed  with 
canoes.  Chisupa,  a  head  man  on  the  other  side  of  the  Mpanda, 
sent  a  present,  and  denounced  Chungu  for  heartlessness.  Wo 
explained  to  one  man  our  change  of  route,  and  went  first  north- 
east, then  east,  to  the  Monsinga,  which  we  forded  again  at  a  deep 
place  full  of  holes  and  rust-of-iron  water,  in  which  we  floundered 
over  three  hundred  yards.  We  cros.sed  a  sponge  thigh-deep  be- 
fore we  came  to  the  Monsinga,  then  on  in  flat  forest  to  a  stock- 
aded village;  the  whole  march  about  east  for  six  hours. 

January  16(h. — Away  north-east  and  north,  to  get  out  of  the 
many  rivulets  near  the  Lake,  back  to  the  River  Lopopussi,  which 
now  looms  large,  and  must  be  crossed  in  canoes.  We  have  to 
wait  in  a  village  till  these  are  brought,  and  have  only  got  one 
hour  and  three  quarters  nearly  nofth. 

We  were  treated  scurvily  by  Chungu.  He  knew  that  wo  were 
near  the  Chambeze,  but  hid  the  knowledge  and  himself  too.  It 
is  terror  of  guns. 

January  lllh. — We  are  troubled  for  want  of  canoes,  but  have 
to  treat  gently  with  the  owners  ;  otherwise  they  would  all  run 
away,  as  they  have  around  Chungu's,  in  the  belief  that  we  should 
return  to  punish  their  silly  head  man.  By  wailing  patiently  yes- 
terday, we  drew  about  twenty  canoes  toward  us  this  morning, 
but  all  too  small  for  the  donkey ;  so  we  had  to  turn  away  back 
north-west  to  the  bridge  above  Chungu'.s.  If  we  liad  tried  to 
swim  the  donkey  across  alongside  a  canoe,  it  would  have  been 
terribly  strained,  as  the  Lopopussi  is  here  quite  two  miles  wide, 


483 


LIVIXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUBXALS. 


and  full  of  rushes,  except  in  the  main  stream.  It  is  all  deep,  and 
the  country  being  very  level  as  the  rivulets  come  near  to  the 
Lake,  they  become  very  broad.  Crossed  two  sponges  with  rivu- 
lets in  their  centre. 

Much  cultivation  in  the  forest.  In  the  second  year  the  mileza 
and  maize  are  sickly,  and  yellow  white ;  in  the  first  year,  with 
fresh  wood-ashes,  they  are  dark-green,  and  strong.  Very  much 
of  the  forest  falls  for  manure.  The  people  seem  very  eager  cul- 
tivators. Possibly  mounds  have  the  potash  brought  up  in  form- 
ing. 

January  18th. — We  lost  a  week  by  going  to  Chungu  (a  worth- 
less, terrified  head  man),  and  came  back  to  the  ford  of  Lopopussi, 
which  we  crossed,  only  from  believing  him  to  be  an  influential 
man  who  would  explain  the  country  to  us.  We  came  up  the 
Lopopussi  three  hours  yesterday,  after  spending. two  hours  in  go- 
ing down  to  examine  the  canoes.  We  hear  that  Syde  bin  Ali  is 
returning  from  Katanga  with  much  ivory. 

January  With.  —  After  prayers  we  went  on  to  a  fine  village, 
and  on  from  it  to  the  Mononsc,  which,  though  only  ten  feet  of 
deep  stream  flowing  south,  had  some  four  hundred  yards  of  most 
fatiguing,  plunging,  deep  sponge,  which  lay  in  a  mass  of  dark- 
colored  rushes,  that  looked  as  if  burned  off :  many  leeches 
plagued  us.  We  were  now  two  hours  out.  We  went  on  two 
miles  to  another  sponge  and  village,  but  went  round  its  head 
dry-shod,  then  two  hours  more  to  sponge  Lovu.  Flat  forest  as 
usual. 

January  20th. — Tried  to  observe  lunars  in  vain  ;  clouded  over 
all,  thick  and  muggy.  Came  on  disappointed,  and  along  the 
Lovu  one  mile  and  a  half  Crossed  it  by  a  felled  tree  l3'ing  over 
it.  It  is  about  six  feet  deep,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of 
sponge.  Marched  about  two  hours  and  a  half:  very  unsatisfac- 
tory progress. 

[In  answer  to  a  question  as  to  whether  Dr.  Livingstone  could 
possibly  manage  to  wade  so  much,  Susi  says  that  he  was  carried 
across  these  sponges  and  the  rivulets  on  the  shoulders  of  Chow- 
perc  or  Chuma.] 

January  21st.  —  Fundi  lost  himself  yesterday,  and  we  looked 
out  for  him.  lie  came  at  noon,  having  wandered  in  the  eager 
pursuit  of  two  herds  of  eland :  having  seen  no  game  for  a  long 
time,  he  lost  himself  in  the  eager  hope  of  getting  one.  We  went 
on  two  hours  and  a  half,  and  w^ere  brought  up  by  the  Kiver  Ma- 
lalanzi,  which  is  about  fifteen  feet  wide,  waist-deep,  and  has  three 


IXCESSANT  PxAIN.— TRACK  LOST. 


483 


hundred  yards  or  more  of  sponge.  Guides  refused  to  come,  as 
Chituiiku^,  their  head  man,  did  not  own  them.  We  started 
alone:  a  man  came  after  us  and  tried  to  mislead  us  in  vain. 

January  lid. — We  pushed  on  through  many  deserted  gardens 
and  villages,  the  man  evidently  sent  to  lead  us  astray  from  our 
south-east  course :  he  turned  back  when  he  saw  that  we  refused 
his  artifice.  Crossed  another  rivulet,  possibly  the  Lofu,  now 
broad  and  deep,  and  then  came  to  another  of  several  deep  streams, 
but  sponge,  not  more  than  fifty  feet  in  all.  Here  we  remained, 
having  traveled  in  fine  drizzling  rain  all  the  morning.  Popula- 
tion all  gone  from  the  war  of  Chitoka  with  this  Chitunku^. 

No  astronomical  observations  worth  naming  during  December 
and  January;  impossible  to  take  any,  owing  to  clouds  and  rain. 

It  is  trying  beyond  measure  to  be  baffled  by  the  natives  lying, 
and  misleading  us  wherever  they  can.  They  fear  us  very  great- 
ly, and  with  a  terror  that  would  gratify  an  anthropologist's  heart 
Their  unfriendliness  is  made  more  trying,  by  our  being  totally 
unable  to  observe  for  our  position.  It  is  either  densely  clouded, 
or  continually  raining  day  and  night.  The  country  is  covered 
with  brackens,  and  rivulets  occur  at  least  one  every  hour  of  the 
march.  These  are  now  deep,  and  have  a  broad  selvage  of  sponge. 
The  lower  stratum  of  clouds  moves  quickly  from  the  north-west: 
the  upper  move  slowly  from  south-east,  and  tell  of  rain  near. 

January  1'6d. — We  have  to  send  back  to  the  villages  of  Chitufl-  . 
ku6  to  buy  food.  It  was  not  reported  to  me  that  the  country  in 
front  was  depopulated  for  three  days,  so  I  send  a  day  back.  I 
do  not  know  where  we  are,  and  the  people  are  deceitful  in  their 
statements;  unaccountably  so,  though  we  deal  fairly  and  kindly. 
Rain,  rain,  rain,  as  if  it  never  tired  on  this  water-shed.  The 
showers  show  little  in  the  gauge,  but  keep  every  thing  and  every 
place  wet  and  sloppy. 

Our  people  return  with  a  wretched  present  from  Chitnukuci — 
bad  flour  and  a  fowl,  evidently  meant  to  be  rejected ;  he  sent 
also  an  exorbiJ;ant  demand  for  gunpowder,  and  payment  of  guides. 
I  refused  his  present,  and  must  plod  on  without  guides  ;  and  this 
is  very  difficult,  from  the  numerous  streams. 

January  2^th. — Went  on  east  and  north-east  to  avoid  the  deep 
part  of  a  large  river,  which  requires  two  canoes,  but  the  men  sent 
by  the  chief  would  certainly  hide  them.  Went  one  hour  and 
three-quarter's  journey  to  a  large  stream,  through  drizzling  rain, 
at  least  three  hundred  yards  of  deep  water,  among  sedges  and 
sponges  of  one  hundred  yards.  One  part  was  neck-deep  for  fifty 
yards,  and  the  water  cold.    We  plunged  in  elephants'  foot-prints 


SCOUTS  SENT  TO  SPY  THE  LAJS'B. 


485 


not  hindered  by  rain.  The  country  all  depopulated,  so  we  can 
buy  nothing.    Elephants  and  antelopes  have  been  here  lately. 

January  26th. — I  arranged  to  go  to  our  next  river,  Luena,  and 
ascend  it  till  we  found  it  small  enough  for  crossing,  as  it  has 
much  "tinga-tinga,"  or  yielding  spongy  soil;  but  another  plan 
was  formed  by  night,  and  we  were  requested  to  go  down  the 
Loou.  Not  wishing  to  appear  overbearing,  I  consented,  until  we 
were,  after  two  hours'  southing,  brought  up  by  several  miles  of 
tinga-tinga.  The  people  in  a  fishing  village  ran  away  from  us, 
and  we  had  to  wait  for  some  sick  ones.  The  women  are  collect- 
ing mushrooms.  A  man  came  near  us,  but  positively  refused  to 
guide  us  to  Matipa,  or  anywhere  else. 

The  sick  people  compelled  us  to  make  an  early  halt. 

January  21th. — On  again  through  streams,  over  sponges  and 
rivulets  thigh-deep.  There  are  marks  of  gnu  and  bufi'alo.  I  lose 
much  blood,  but  it  is  a  safety-valve  for  me,  and  I  have  no  fever 
or  other  ailments. 

January  2^th. — A  dreary,  wet  morning,  and  no  food  that  we 
know  of  near.  It  is  drop,  drop,  drop,  and  drizzling  from  the 
north-west.  We  killed  our  last  calf  but  one  last  night,  to  give 
each  a  mouthful.  At  9.30  we  were  allowed  by  the  rain  to  leave 
our  camp,  and  march  south-east  for  two  hours  to  a  strong,  deep 
rivulet  ten  feet  broad  only,  but  waist-deep,  and  one  hundred  and 
fifty  yards  of  flood,  all  deep  too.  Sponge  about  forty  yards  in 
all,  and  running  fast  out.    Camped  by  a  broad  prairie,  or  bouga. 

January  29th.  —  No  rain  in  the  night,  for  a  wonder.  We 
tramped  one  hour  and  a  quarter  to  a  broad  sponge,  having  at 
least  three  hundred  yards  of  flood,  and  clear  water  flowing  south- 
west, but  no  usual  stream.  All  was  stream  flowing  through  the 
rushes,  knee  and  thigh  deep.  On  still  with  the  same,  repeated 
again  and  again,  till  we  came  to  broad,  branching  sponges,  at 
which  I  resolved  to  send  out  scouts  south,  south-east,  and  south- 
west. Tlie  music  of  the  singing-birds,  the  music  of  the  turtle- 
doves, the  screaming  of  the  frankolin,  proclaim  man  to  be  near. 

January  SOth.  —  Remain  waiting  for  the  scouts.  Manuasera 
returned  at  dark,  having  gone  about  eight  hours  south,  and  seen 
the  Lake  and  two  islets.  Smoke  now  appeared  in  the  distance ; 
so  he  turned,  and  the  rest  went  on  to  buy  food  where  the  smoke 
was.    Wet  evening. 


486 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

]'jit:ingle<]  among  the  Marshes  of  Rangweolo. — Great  Privations. — Obliged  to  return 
to  Chitunkue's. — At  the  C'iiief's  Blercy. — Agreeably  surprised  witli  the  Chief. — 
Start  once  more. — Very  difficult  March. — Robbery  exposed. — Fresh  Attack  of  Ill- 
ness.— Sends  Scouts  out  to  find  Villages. — Message  to  Chirubwe'. — An  Ant  Raid. — 
Awaits  News  from  Matipa. — Distressing  Perjilexity. — The  Bougas  of  Bangweolo. 
—Constant  Rain  above  and  Flood  below. — III. — Susi  and  Chuma  sent  as  Envoys 
to  Matipa. — Reach  Bangweolo. — Arrive  at  Matipa's  Islet. — Matipa's  Town. — The 
Donkey  suffers  in  Transit. — Tries  to  go  on  to  Kabinga's. — Dr.  Livingstone  makes 
a  Demonstration. — Solution  of  the  Transport  Difficulty. — Susi  and  Detachment 
sent  to  Kabinga's. — Extraordiiiary  Extent  of  Flood. — Reaches  Kabinga's. — An 
Upset. — Crosses  the  Chambeze'. — The  River  Muanakazi. — Tiiey  separate  into  Com- 
panies by  Land  and  Water. — A  disconsolate  Lion. — SinguUr  Caterpillars. — Obser- 
vations on  Fish. — Coasting  along  the  southern  Flood  of  Lake  Bangweolo. — Dan- 
gerous State  of  Dr.  Livingstone. 

February  1st,  1873.  —  Waiting  for  the  scouts.  They  return 
unsuccessful — forced  to  do  so  by  hunger.  They  saw  a  very  large 
river  flowing  into  the  Lake,  but  did  not  come  across  a  single  soul. 
Killed  our  last  calf,  and  turn  back  for  four  hard  days'  travel  to 
Chituuku^'s.  I  send  men  on  before  us  to  bring  food  back  to- 
ward us. 

February  2d. — March  smartly  back  to  our  camp  of  28th  ult. 
The  people  bear  their  hunger  well.  They  collect  mushrooms 
and  plants,  and  often  get  lost  in  this  flat,  featureless  country. 

February  3c/. — Return  march  to  our  bridge  on  the  Lofu,  five 
hours.  In  going,  we  went  astray,  and  took  six  hours  to  do  the 
work  of  five.  Tried  lunars  in  vain.  Either  sun  or  moon  in 
clouds.    On  the  Ltiena. 

February  4:th.  —  Return  to  camp  on  the  rivulet,  with  much 
Methonica  gloriosa  on  its  banks;  our  camp  being  on  its  left  banlc 
of  the  26th.  It  took  long  to  cross  the  next  river,  probably  the 
Kwald,  though  the  elephants'  foot -prints  are  all  filled  up  now. 
Camp  among  deserted  gardens,  which  afford  a  welcome  supply 
of  cassava  and  sweet-potatoes.  The  men  who  were  sent  on  be- 
fore us  slept  here  last  night,  and  have  deceived  us  by  going 
more  slowly  without  loads  than  we  who  are  loaded. 

February  5th.  —  Arrived  at  Chitunkue's,  crossing  two  broad, 
deep  brooks,  and  on  to  the  Malalcnzi,  now  swollen,  having  at 
least  two  hundred  yards  of  flood  and  more  than  three  hundred 
yards  of  sponge.  Saluted  by  a  drizzling  shower.  We  are  now 
at  Chitunkuci's  mercy. 


BETUEXS  TO  CHITUNKVBWA 


487 


We  find  the  chief  more  civil  than  we  expected.  He  said  each 
chief  had  his  own  land  and  his  own  peculiarities.  He  was  not 
responsible  for  others.  "We  were  told  that  we  had  been  near  to 
Matipa  and  other  chiefs.  He  would  give  us  guides  if  we  gave 
him  a  cloth  and  .some  powder. 

We  returned  over  these  forty -one  miles  in  fifteen  hours, 
through  much  deep  water.  Our  scouts  played  us  false  both  in 
time  and  beads:  the  head  men  punished  them.  I  got  lunars,  for 
a  wonder.  Visited  Chitunkubwe,  as  his  name  properly  is.  He 
is  a  fine,  jolly-looking  man,  of  a  European  cast  of  countenance, 
and  very  sensible  and  friendly.  I  gave  him  two  cloths,  for  which 
he  seemed  thankful,  and  promised  good  guides  to  Matipa's.  He 
showed  me  two  of  Matipa's  men  who  had  heard  us  firing  guns  to 
attract  one  of  our  men  who  had  strayed ;  these  men  followed  us. 
It  seems  we  had  been  close  to  human  habitations,  but  did  not 
know  it.  We  have  lost  half  a  month  by  this  wandering,  but  it 
was  all  owing  to  the  unfriendliness  of  some,  and  the  fears  of  all. 
I  begged  for  a  more  northerly  path,  where  the  water  is  low.  It 
is  impossible  to  describe  the  amount  of  water  near  the  Lake. 
Rivulets  without  number.  They  are  so  deep  as  to  damp  all  ar- 
dor. I  passed  a  very  large  striped  spider,  in  going  to  visit  Chi- 
tunkubwe. The  stripes  were  of  yellowish  green,  and  it  had  two 
most  formidable  reddish  mandibles,  the  same  shape  as  those  of 
the  red-headed  white  ant.  It  seemed  to  be  eating  a  kind  of  ant 
with  a  light-colored  head,  not  seen  elsewhere.  A  man  killed  it, 
and  all  the  natives  said  that  it  was  most  dangerou.s.  We  passed 
gardens  of  dura;  leaves  all  split  up  with  hail,  and  forest-leaves 
all  punctured. 

February  Qth.  —  Chitunkubw6  gave  a  small  goat  and  a  large 
basket  of  flour,  as  a  return  present.  I  gave  him  three-quarters 
of  a  pound  of  powder,  in  addition  to  the  cloth. 

February  7th. — This  chief  showed  his  leanings  by  demanding 
prepayment  for  his  guides.  This  being  a  preparatory  step  to 
their  desertion,  I  resisted,  and  sent  men  to  demand  what  he 
meant  by  his  words;  he  denied  all,  and  said  that  his  people  lied, 
not  he.  We  take  this  for  what  it  is  worth.  He  gives  two  guides 
to-morrow  morning,  and  visits  us  this  afternoon. 

February  8lh. — The  chief  dawdles,  although  he  promised  great 
things  yesterday.  He  places  the  blame  on  his  people,  who  did 
not  prepare  food  on  account  of  the  rain.  Time  is  of  no  value  to 
them.  We  have  to  remain  over  to-day.  It  is  most  trying  to 
have  to  wait  on  frivolous  pretenses.  I  have  endured  audi  vexa- 
tious delays.    The  guides  came  at  last  with  quantities  of  food, 


488 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


which  they  intend  to  bargain  with  my  people  on  the  way.  A 
Nassicker  who  carried  mj  saddle  was  found  asleep  near  my 
camp. 

February  9th. — Slept  in  a  most  unwholesome,  ruined  village. 
Rank  vegetation  had  run  over  all,  and  the  soil  smelled  offen- 
sively. Crossed  a  sponge,  then  a  rivulet,  and  sponge  running 
into  the  Miwalc  River;  then,  by  a  rocky  passage,  we  crossed  the 
Mofiri,  or  great  Tinga-tinga,  a  water  running  strongly,  waist  and 
breast  deep,  above  thirty  feet  broad  here,  but  very  much  broader 
below.  After  this  we  passed  two  more  rills  and  the  River  Me- 
thonua,  but  we  build  a  camp  above  our  former  one.  The  hu- 
man ticks,  called  "papasi"  by  the  Suaheli,  and  "karapatos"  by 
the  Portuguese,  made  even  the  natives  call  out  against  their 
numbers  and  ferocity. 

February  lOih. — Back  again  to  our  old  camp'on  the  Lovu,  or 
Lofu,  by  the  bridge.  We  left  in  a  drizzle,  which  continued  from 
4  A.M.  to  1  P.M.  We  were  three  hours  in  it,  and  all  wet,  just  on 
reaching  camp,  by  two  hundred  yards  of  flood  mid-deep;  but  we 
have  food. 

February  11th. — Our  guides  took  us  across  country,  where  we 
saw  tracks  of  buffaloes;  and  in  a  meadow,  the  bead  of  a  sponge, 
we  saw  a  herd  of  hartbeests.  A  drizzly  night  was  followed  by 
a  morning  of  cold,  wet  fog,  but  in  three  hours  we  reached  our 
old  camp.  It  took  us  six  hours  to  do  this  distance  before,  and 
five  on  our  return.  We  camped  on  a  deep  bridged  stream,  called 
the  Kiachibwd 

February  12th. — We  crossed  the  Kasoso,  which  joins  the  Mo- 
kisya,  a  river  we  afterward  crossed  :  it  flows  north-west,  then  over 
the  Mofungwe.    The  same  sponges  everywhere. 

February  ISth. — In  four  hours  we  came  within  sight  of  the 
Lu^na  and  Lake,  and  saw  plenty  of  elephants  and  other  game, 
but  very  shy.  The  forest-trees  are  larger.  The  guides  are  more 
at  a  loss  than  we  are,  as  they  always  go  in  canoes  in  the  flat  riv- 
ers and  rivulets.    Went  east,  then  south-east  round  to  south. 

February  l-liJi.  —  Public  punishment  to  Chirango  for  stealing 
beads,  fifteen  cuts :  diminished  his  load  to  forty  pounds,  giving 
him  blue  and  white  beads  to  be  strung.  The  water  stands  so 
high  in  the  paths  that  I  can  not  walk  dry-shod,  and  I  found  in 
the  large  bougas,  or  prairies,  in  front  that  it  lay  knee-deep;  so  I 
sent  on  two  men  to  go  to  the  first  villages  of  Matipa  for  large  ca- 
noes to  navigate  the  Lake,  or  give  us  a  guide  to  go  cast  to  the 
Chainbezd,  to  go  round  on  foot.  It  was  Ilalima  who  informed 
on  Chirango,  as  he  offered  her  beads  for  a  cloth  of  a  kind  wliich 


MIDNIGHT  PROWLERS. 


489 


she  knew  had  not  hitherto  been  taken  out  of  the  baggage.  This 
was  so  far  faithful  in  her,  but  she  has  an  outrageous  tongue.  I 
]-emain  because  of  an  excessive  hemorrhagic  discharge. 

[We  can  not  but  believe  Livingstone  saw  great  danger  in  these 
constant  recurrences  of  his  old  disorder:  we  find  a  trace  of  it  in 
the  solemn  reflections  which  he  wrote  in  his  pocket-book,  imme- 
diately under  the  above  words  :] 

If  the  good  Lord  gives  me  favor,  and  permits  me  to  finish  my 
work,  I  shall  thank  and  bless  him,  though  it  has  cost  me  untold 
toil,  pain,  and  travel.    This  trip  has  made  my  hair  all  gray. 

February  16th,  Sunday: — Service.  Killed  our  last  goat  while 
waiting  for  messengers  to  return  from  Matipa's.  Evening:  the 
messenger  cam'6  back,  having  been  foiled  by  deep  tinga-tinga 
and  bouga.  He  fired  his  gun  three  times,  but  no  answer  came; 
so,  as  he  had  slept  one  night  away,  he  turned,  but  found  some 
men  hunting,  whom  he  brought  with  him.  They  say  that  Mati- 
pa  is  on  Chirubc  islet;  a  good  man,  tou,  but  far  off  from  this. 

February  16th. — Sent  men  by  the  hunter's  canoe  to  Chirubd, 
with  a  request  to  Matipa  to  convey  us  west  if  he  has  canoes,  but 
if  not,  to  tell  us  truly,  and  we  will  go  east  and  cross  the  Cham- 
beze  where  it  is  small.  Cliitunkubwe's  men  ran  away,  refusing 
to  wait  till  we  had  communicated  with  Matipa.  Here  the  water 
stands  under-ground  about  eighteen  inches  from  the  surface.  The 
guides  played  us  false,  and  this  is  why  they  escaped. 

February  17th. — The  men  will  return  to-morrow,  but  they  have 
to  go  all  the  way  out  to  the  islet  of  Chirube  to  Matipa's. 

Suffered  a  furious  attack  at  midnight  from  the  red  Sirafu,  or 
driver-ants.  Our  cook  fled  first  at  their  onset  I  lighted  a  can- 
dle, and  remembering  Dr.  Van  der  Kemp's  idea  that  no  animal 
will  attack  man  unprovoked,  I  lay  still.  The  first  came  on  my 
foot  quietly,  then  some  began  to  bite  between  the  toes,  then  the 
larger  ones  swarmed  over  the  foot  and  bit  furiously,  and  made 
the  blood  start  out.  I  then  went  out  of  the  tent,  and  my  whole 
person  was  instantly  covered  as  close  as  small-po.x  (not  confluent) 
on  a  patient.  Gra.ss  fires  were  lighted,  and  my  men  pi(;kcil  some 
off  my  limbs  and  tried  to  save  me.  After  battling  for  an  hour 
or  two,  they  took  me  into  a  hut  not  yet  invaded,  and  I  rested  till 
they  came,  the  pe.sts,  and  routed  me  out  there  tool  Then  came 
on  a  steady  pour  of  rain,  which  held  on  till  noon,  as  if  trying  to 
make  us  miserable.  At  9  A.M.  I  got  back  into  my  tent.  The 
large  Sirafu  have  mandibles  curved  like  reaping-sicklc.'s,  and  very 
sharp — as  fine  at  the  point  as  the  finest  needle  or  a  bee's  sting. 


490 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Their  office  is  to  remove  all  animal  refuse,  cockroaches,  etc.,  and 
they  took  all  my  fat.  Their  appearance  sets  every  cockroach  in 
a  flurry,  and  all  ants,  white  and  black,  get  into  a  panic.  On  man 
they  insert  the  sharp,  curved  mandibles,  and  then  with  six  legs 
push  their  bodies  round  so  as  to  force  the  points  by  lever  power. 
They  collect  in  masses  in  their  runs,  and  stand  with  mandibles 
extended,  as  if  defying  attack.  The  large  ones  stand  thus  at  bay 
while  the  youngsters  hollow  out  a  run  half  an  inch  wide  and 
about  an  inch  deep.  They  remained  with  us  till  late  in  the  af- 
ternoon, and  we  put  hot  ashes  on  the  defiant  hordes.  They  re- 
tire to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  raid,  and  come  out  fresh  another 
day. 

February  ISth. — We  wait,  hungry  and  cold,  for  the  return  of 
the  men  who  have  gone  to  Matipa,  and  hope  the  good  Lord  will 
errant  us  influence  with  this  man. 

Our  men  have  returned  to-day,  having  obeyed  the  native  who 
told  them  to  sleep  instead  of  going  to  Matipa.  They  bought  food, 
and  then  believed  that  the  islet  Chirube  was  too  far  off,  and  re- 
turned with  a  most  lame  stOry.  We  shall  make  the  best  of  it  by 
going  north-west,  to  be  near  the  islets  and  buy  food,  till  we  can 
communicate  with  Matipa.  If  he  fails  us  by  fair  means,  we  must 
seize  canoes  and  go  by  force.  The  men  say  fear  of  me  makes 
them  act  very  cowardly.  I  have  gone  among  the  whole  popu- 
lation kindly  and  fairly,  but  I  fear  I  must  now  act  rigidly  ;  for 
when  they  hear  that  we  have  submitted  to  injustice,  they  at  once 
conclude  that  we  are  fair  game  for  all,  and  they  go  to  lengths  in 
dealing  falsely  that  they  would  never  otherwise  attempt.  It  is, 
I  can  declare,  not  my  nature,  nor  has  it  been  my  practice,  to  go 
as  if  "  my  back  were  up." 

February  19th. — A  cold,  wet  morning  keeps  us  in  this  uncom- 
fortable spot.  When  it  clears  up  we  go  to  an  old  stockade,  to  be 
near  an  islet  to  buy  food.  The  people,  knowing  our  need,  are  ex- 
tortionate. We  went  on  at  9  a.m.,  over  an  extensive  water-cov- 
ered plain.  I  was  carried  three  miles  to  a  canoe,  and  then  in  it 
we  went  westward,  in  branches  of  the  Luena,  very  deep,  and  flow- 
ing west,  for  three  hours.  I  was  carried  three  miles  to  a  canoe, 
and  we  were  then  near  enough  to  hear  Bangweolo  bellowing. 
The  water  on  the  plain  is  four,  five,  and  seven  feet  deep.  There 
are  rushes,  ferns,  papyrus,  and  two  lotuses,  in  abundance.  Many 
dark-gray  caterpillars  clung  to  the  grass,  and  were  knocked  off 
as  we  paddled  or  poled.  Camped  in  an  old  village  of  Matipa's, 
where,  in  the  west,  we  see  the  Luena  enter  Lake  Bangweolo;  but 
all  is  flat  prairie,  or  bouga,  filled  with  fast-flowing  water,  save  a 


SENDS  MEN  TO  MATIPA. 


491 


few  islets  covered  with  palms  and  trees.  Rain  continued  sprin- 
kling us  from  the  north-west  all  the  morning.  Elephants  had  run 
riot  over  the  ruins,  eating  a  species  of  grass  now  in  seed.  It  re- 
sembles millet,  and  the  donkey  is  fond  of  it.  I  have  only  seen 
this  and  one  other  species  of  grass  in  seed  eaten  by  the  African 
elephant.  Trees,  bulbs,  and  fruits  are  his  dainties,  although  ants, 
whose  hills  he  overturns,  are  relished.  A  large  party  in  canoes 
came  with  food  as  soon  as  we  reached  our  new  quarters :  they 
had  heard  that  we  were  in  search  of  Matipa.  All  are  eager  for 
calico,  though  they  have  only  raw  cassava  to  offer.  They  are 
clothed  in  bark-cloth  and  skins.  Without  canoes  no  movement 
can  be  made  in  any  direction,  for  it  is  water  everywhere — water 
above  and  water  below. 

February  20lh. — I  sent  a  request  to  a  friendly  man  to  give  me 
men,  and  a  large  canoe  to  go  myself  to  Matipa;  he  says  that  he 
will  let  me  know  to-day  if  he  can.  Ileavy  rain  by  night,  and 
drizzling  by  day.  No  definite  answer  yet,  but  we  are  getting 
food;  and  Matipa  will  soon  hear  of  us,  as  he  did  when  we  came 
and  returned  back  for  food.  I  cno;aored  another  man  to  send  a 
canoe  to  Matipa,  and  I  showed  him  his  payment,  but  retain  it 
here  till  he  comes  back. 

Fehrwiry  21ist. — The  men  engaged  refuse  to  go  to  Matipa's: 
they  have  no  honor.  It  is  so  wet  we  can  do  nothing.  Another 
man  spoken  to  about  going  says  that  they  run  the  risk  of  being 
killed  by  some  hostile  people  on  another  island  between  this  and 
Mati  pa's. 

February  22d. — A  wet  morning.  I  was  ill  all  yesterday,  but 
escape  fever  by  hemorrhage.  A  heavy  mantle  of  north-west 
clouds  came  floating  over  us  daily.  No  astronomical  observation 
can  possibly  be  taken.  I  was  never  in  such  misty,  cloudy  weath- 
er in  Africa.  A  man  turned  up  at  9  a.m.  to  carry  our  message 
to  Matipa:  Susi  and  Chuma  went  with  him.  The  good  Lord  go 
with  them,  and  lend  me  influence  and  grant  me  help! 

February  2d(l,  Sunday. — Service.  Kainy. 

February  2ilh. — Tried  hard  for  a  lunar,  but  the  moon  was  lost 
in  the  glare  of  the  sun. 

February  26th. — For  a  wonder  it  did  not  rain  till  4  I'.M.  The 
people  bring  food,  but  hold  out  for  cloth,  which  is  inconvenient. 

Susi  and  Chuma  not  appearing,  may  mean  that  the  men  arc 
preparing  canoes  and  food  to  transport  us. 

February  26th. — Susi  returned  this  morning  with  good  news 
from  Matipa,  who  declares  his  willingness  to  carry  us  to  Kahendo 
for  the  five  bundles  of  brass  wire  I  oll'ercd.    It  is  not  on  Cliirubc, 


492 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


but  amidst  the  swamps  of  the  main-land  on  the  Lake's  north  side. 
Immense  swampy  plains  all  around  except  at  Kabende.  Matipa 
is  at  variance  with  his  brothers  on  the  subject  of  the  lordship  of 
the  lands  and  the  produce  of  the  elephants,  which  are  very  nu- 
merous. I  am  devoutly  thankful  to  the  Giver  of  all  for  favoring 
me  so  far,  and  hope  that  He  may  continue  His  kind  aid. 

No  mosquitoes  here,  though  Speke,  at  the  Victoria  Nyanza, 
said  they  covered  the  bushes  and  grass  in  myriads,  and  struck 
against  the  hands  and  foce  most  disagreeably. 

February  21  Ih.  —  Waiting  for  other  canoes  to  be  sent  by  Ma- 
tipa. His  men  say  that  there  is  but  one  large  river  on  the  south 
of  Lake  Bangweolo,  and  called  Luomba.  They  know  the  mount- 
ains on  the  south-east  as  I  do,  and  on  the  west,  but  say  they  do 
not  know  any  on  the  middle  of  the  water-shed.  They  plead  their 
youth  as  an  excuse  for  knowing  so  little. 

Matipa's  men  proposed  to  take  half  our  men,  but  I  refused  to 
divide  our  force  :  they  say  that  Matipa  is  truthful. 

February  2Sth. — No  night  rain  after  8  P.M.,  for  a  wonder.  Ba- 
ker had  fifteen  hundred  men  in  health  on  June  15th,  1870,  at  lat. 
9°  26'  N.,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  on  sick-list;  many  dead. 
Liberated  three  hundred  and  five  slaves.  His  fleet  was  thirty- 
two  vessels:  wife  and  he  well.  I  wish  that  I  met  him.  Matipa's 
men  not  having  come,  it  is  said  they  are  employed  bringing  the 
cg,rcass  of  an  elephant  to  him.  I  propose  to  go  near  to  him  to- 
morrow, some  in  canoes  and  some  on  foot.  The  good  Lord  help 
me!    New  moon  this  evening. 

March  1st,  1873. — Embarked  women  and  goods  in  canoes,  and 
went  three  hours  south-east  to  Bangweolo.  Stopped  on  an  island 
where  people  were  drying  fish  over  fires.  Heavy  rain  wetted  us 
all  as  we  came  near  the  islet:  the  drops  were  as  large  as  half- 
crowns,  by  the  marks  they  made.  We  went  over  flooded  prairie 
four  feet  deep,  and  covered"with  rushes,  and  two  varieties  of  lo- 
tus, or  sacred  lily;  both  are  eaten,  and  so  are  papyrus.  The  buf- 
faloes are  at  a  loss  in  the  water.  Three  canoes  are  behind.  The 
men  are  great  cowards.  I  took  possession  of  all  the  paddles  and 
punting-polcs,  as  the  men  showed  an  inclination  to  move  off  from 
our  islet.  The  water  in  the  country-  is  protligiously  large :  plains 
extending  farther  than  the  eye  can  reacli  liave  four  or  five  feet  of 
clear  water,  and  the  Lake  and  adjacent  lands  for  twenty  or  thirty 
miles  are  level.  We  are  on  a  miserable,  dirty,  fishy  island,  called 
Motovinza  :  all  are  damp.  We  are  surrounded  by  scores  of  miles 
of  rushes,  an  open  sward,  and  many  lotus-plants,  but  no  mosqui- 
toes. 


MATIPA'S  STOCKADE. 


493 


March  2d. — It  took  us  seven  hours'  and  a  half  punting  to  bring 
us  to  an  island,  and  then  the  miserable  weather  rained  constantly, 
on  our  landing  into  the  boma  (stockade),  which  is  well  peopled 
The  prairie  is  ten  hours  long,  or  about  thirty  miles,  by  punting. 
Matipa  is  on  an  island  too,  with  four  bomas  on  it.  A  river,  the 
Molonga,  runs  past  it,  and  is  a  protection.*  The  men  wear  a  cu- 
rious head-dress  of  skin  or  hair,  and  large  upright  ears. 

March  3d. — Matipa  paid  off  the  men  who  brought  us  here. 
He  says  that  five  sangos,  or  coils  (which  brought  us  here),  will 
do  to  take  us  to  Kabendc,  and  I  sincerely  hope  that  they  will. 
Ilis  canoes  are  off  bringing  the  meat  of  an  elephant.  There  are 
many  dogs  in  the  village,  which  they  use  in  hunting  to  bring 
elephants  to  bay.  I  visited  Matipa  at  noon  :  he  is  an  old  man, 
slow  of  tongue,  and  self-possessed.  He  recommended  our  cross- 
ing to  the  south  bank  of  the  Lake  to  his  brother,  who  has  plenty 
of  cattle,  and  to  go  along  that  side  where  there  are  few  rivers 
and  plenty  to  eat.  Kabendc's  land  was  lately  overrun  by  Ban- 
yamwezi,  who  now  inhabit  that  country,  but  as  yet  have  no  food 
to  sell.  Moanzabamba  was  the  founder  of  the  Babisa  tribe,  and 
used  the  curious  plaits  of  hair  which  form  such  a  singular  head- 
dress here,  like  large  ears.  I  am  rather  in  a  diflQculty,  as  I  fear  I 
must  give  the  five  coils  for  a  much  shorter  task  ;  but  it  is  best  not 
to  appear  unfair,  although  1  will  be  the  loser.  He  sent  a  man  to 
catch  a  sampa  for  me;  it  is  the  largest  fish  in  the  Lake,  and  he 
promised  to  have  men  ready  to  take  my  men  over  to-morrow. 
Matipa  never  heard  from  any  of  the  elders  of  his  people  that  any 
of  his  forefathers  ever  saw  a  European.  He  knew  perfectly 
about  Pereira,  Lacerda,  and  Monteiro  going  to  Casembe,  and  my 
coming  to  the  islet  Mpabala.  No  trace  seems  to  exist  of  Captain 
Singleton's  march. f  The  native  name  of  Pereira  is  "  Mocnda- 
mondo;"  of  Lacerda,  "Charlie;"  of  Monteiro's  party,  "  Makabal- 
wd,"  or  the  donkey-men,  but  no  other  name  is  heard.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  small  snatch  of  Babisa  lore.  It  was  told  by  an  old 
man  who  came  to  try  for  some  beads,  and  seemed  much. interest- 
ed about  printing.    He  was  asked  if  there  were  any  marks  made 

*  It  will  be  observed  that  these  islets  were  in  reality  slight  eminences  standing  above 
water  on  the  floodccl  plnins  wiiich  border  on  Lake  HanRweoIo.  The  men  say  that  the 
actual  dee])-wat('r  Lake  lay  away  to  ihcir  niiUt;  and  on  beinK  asked  why  Dr.  Living- 
stone (lid  not  make  a  short  cut  across  to  the  southern  shore,  they  explain  that  the  ca- 
noes could  not  live  for  an  bonr  on  the  Lake,  but  were  merely  snitcd  for  pinitinji  about 
over  the  flooded  land. — Ei). 

t  Defoe's  book,  "Adventures  of  Cajitain  Singleton,"  is  alluded  to.  It  would  al- 
most appear  as  if  Defoe  nuist  have  come  across  some  unknown  African  traveler  who 
gave  him  materials  for  this  work. — Ku. 


494 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOUBNALS. 


on  the  rocks  in  any  part  of  the  country,  and  this  led  to  his  story. 
Lukerenga  came  from  the  west  a  long  time  ago  to  the  River  Lu- 
alaba.  He  had  with  him  a  little  dog.  When  he  wanted  to  pass 
over,  he  threw  liis  mat  on  the  water,  and  this  served  as  a  raft, 
and  they  crossed  the  stream.  When  he  reached  the  other  side, 
there  were  rocks  at  the  landing-place,  and  the  mark  is  still  to  be 
seen  on  the  stone,  not  only  of  his  foot,  but  of  a  stick  which  he 
cut  with  his  hatchet,  and  of  his  dog's  feet:  the  name  of  the  place 
is  Uchewa. 

March  4:th.  —  Sent  canoes  off  to  bring  our  men  over  to  the 
island  of  Matipa.  They  brought  ten,  but  the  donkey  could  not 
come  as  far  through  the  "  tinga-tinga"  as  they,  so  they  took  it 
back  for  fear  that  it  should  perish.  I  spoke  to  Matipa  this  morn- 
ing to  send  more  canoes,  and  he  consented.  We  move  outside, 
as  the  town  swarms  with  mice,  and  is  very  closely  built,  and  dis- 
agreeable.   I  found  mosquitoes  in  the  town. 

March  5th. — Time  runs  on  quickly.  The  real  name  of  this 
island  is  Masumbo,  and  the  position  may  be  probably  long.  31° 
3'  W. ;  lat.  10°  11'  S.    Men  not  arrived  yet.    Matipa  very  slow. 

March  6th. — Building  a  camp  outside  the  town  for  quiet  and 
cleanliness,  and  no  mice  to  run  over  us  at  night.  This  islet  is 
some  twenty  or  thirty  feet  above  the  general  flat  country  and 
adjacent  water. 

At  3  P.M.  we  moved  up  to  the  highest  part  of  the  island,  where 
we  can  see  around  us,  and  have  the  fresh  breeze  from  the  Lake. 
Eainy,  as  we  went  up,  as  usual. 

March  7tJt. — We  expect  our  men  to-day.  I  tremble  for  the 
donkey !  Camp  sweet  and  clean,  but  it,  too,  has  mosquitoes, 
from  which  a  curtain  protects  me  completely — a  great  luxury, 
but  unknown  to  the  Arabs,  to  whom  I  have  spoken  about  it. 
Abed  was  overjoyed  by  one  I  made  for  him :  others  are  used  to 
their  bites,  as  was  the  man  who  said  that  he  would  get  used  to  a 
nail  through  the  heel  of  his  shoe.  The  men  came  at  3  P.M.,  but 
eight  had  to  remain,  the  canoes  being  too  small.  The  donkey 
had  to  be  tied  down,  as  he  rolled  about  on  his  legs,  and  would 
have  forced  his  way  out.  He  bit  Mabruki  Speke's  lame  hand, 
and  came  in  stiff  from  lying  tied  all  day.  We  had  him  sham- 
pooed all  over,  but  he  could  not  eat  dura ;  he  fools  sore.  Susi 
did  well  under  the  circumstances,  and  we  had  plenty  of  flour 
ready  for  all.  Chanza  is  near  Kabinga,  and  this  last  chief  is 
coming  to  visit  me  in  a  day  or  two. 

March  8th. — I  press  Matipa  to  get  a  fleet  of  canoes  equal  to 
our  numbc,  but  he  complains  of  their  being  stolen  b}^  rebel  sub- 


THE  PAllTY  REUNITED. 


495 


Dr.  Livingstone's  Mosquito  Curtain. 


jects.  He  tells  me  his  brother  Kabinga  would  have  been  here 
some  days  ago  but  for  having  lost  a  son,  who  was  killed  by  an 
elephant:  he  is  mourning  for  him,  but  will  come  soon.  Kabinga 
is  on  the  other  side  of  the  Chambeze.  A  party  of  male  and  fe- 
male drummers  and  dancers  is  sure  to  turn  up  at  every  village : 
the  first  here  had  a  leader  that  used  such  violent  antics,  perspi- 
ration ran  off  his  whole  frame.  I  gave  a  few  strings  of  beads,  and 
the  performance  is  repeated  to-day  by  another  lot;  but  I  rebel, 
and  allow  them  to  dance  unheeded.  We  got  a  sheep,  for  a  won- 
der, for  a  doti :  fowls  and  fish  alone  could  be  bought,  but  Ka- 
binga has  plenty  of  cattle. 

There  is  a  species  of  carp  with  red  ventral  fin,  which  is  caught, 
and  used  in  very  large  quantities:  it  is  called  "pumbo."  The 
people  dry  it  over  fires  as  preserve'd  provisions.  Sampa  is  the 
largest  fish  in  the  Lake ;  it  is  caught  by  a  hook.  The  Lnena 
goes  into  Bangweolo  at  Molandangao.  A  male  msobc  had  f:\nit 
white  stripes  across  the  back,  and  one  well-marked  yellow  stripe 
along  the  spine.  The  hip  had  a  few  fixint  white  spots,  which 
showed  by  having  longer  hair  than  the  rest:  a  kid  of  the  same 
species  had  a  white  belly. 

The  eight  men  came  from  Motovinza  this  afternoon,  and  now 
all  our  party  is  united.  The  donkey  sliow.s  many  sores  inflicted 
by  the  careless  people,  who  think  that  force  alone  can  be  used  to 
inferior  animals. 

March  Wlh. — Matipa  says  "Wait;  Kabinga  is  coming,  and  he 


496 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOVENALS. 


has  canoes."  Time  is  of  no  value  to  him.  His  wife  is  making 
him  pombe,  and  will  drown  all  his  cares ;  but  mine  increase  and 
plague  me.  Matipa  and  his  wife  each  sent  me  a  huge  calabash 
of  pombe :  I  wanted  only  a  little  to  make  bread  with. 

By  putting  leaven  in  a  bottle  and  keeping  it  from  one  baking 
to  another  (or  three  days),  good  bread  is  made,  and  the  dough 
being  surrounded  by  banana-leaves  or  maize-leaves  (or  even  for- 
est-leaves of  hard  texture  and  no  taste,  or  simply  by  broad  leafy 
grass),  is  preserved  from  burning  in  an  iron  pot.  The  inside  of 
the  pot  is  greased,  then  the  leaves  put  in  all  round,  and  the  dough 
poured  in,  to  stand  and  rise  in  the  sun. 

Better  news  comes :  the  son  of  Kabinga  is  to  be  here  to-night, 
and  we  shall  concoct  plans  together. 

March  12th. — The  news  w^as  false ;  no  one  caipe  from  Kabinga. 
The  men  strung  beads  to-day,  and  I  wrote  part  of  my  dispatch 
for  Earl  Granville. 

March  13th. — I  went  to  Matipa,  and  proposed  to  begin  the  em- 
barkation of  my  men  at  once,  as  they  are  many,  and  the  canoes 
are  only  sufficient  to  take  a  few  at  a  time.  He  has  sent  off  a  big 
canoe  to  reap  his  millet;  when  it  returns  he  will  send  us  over  to 
see  for  ourselves  where  we  can  go.  I  explained  the  danger  of 
setting  my  men  astray. 

March  14:th. — Rains  have  ceased  for  a  few  days.  "Went  down 
to  Matipa,  and  tried  to  take  his  likeness  for  the  sake  of  the  curi- 
ous hat  he  wears. 

Marcli  loth. — Finish  my  dispatch  so  far. 

March  16th,  Sundaij. — Service.  I  spoke  sharply  to  Matipa  for 
his  duplicity.  He  promises  every  thing,  and  does  nothing:  he 
has,  in  fact,  no  power  over  his  people.  Matipa  says  that  a  large 
canoe  will  come  to-morrow,  and  next  day  men  will  go  to  Kabin- 
ga to  reconnoitre.  There  may  be  a  hitch  there  which  we  did  not 
take  into  account :  Kabinga's  son,  killed  by  an  elephant,  may  have 
raised  complications:  blame  may  be  attached  to  Matipa,  and  in 
their  dark  minds  it  may  appear  all  important  to  settle  the  aftair 
before  having  communication  with  him.  Ill  all  da}'  with  my  old 
complai  nt. 

March  17th. — The  delay  is  most  trying.  So  many  detentions 
have  occurred,  they  ought  to  have  made  me  of  a  patient  spirit. 

As  I  thought,  Matipa  told  us  to-day  that  it  is  reported  he  has 
some  Arabs  with  him  who  will  attack  all  the  Lake  people  forth- 
with, and  he  is  anxious  that  we  shall  go  over  to  show  them  that 
we  are  peaceful. 

March  18th. — Sent  off  men  to  reconnoitre  at  Kabinga's  and  to 


THE  LAST  BIRTHDAY. 


497 


MatiiKi  aud  his  Wife. 


mnke  a  camp  there.  Rain  began  again,  after  nine  days'  dry 
weatlier.  North-west  wind,  but  in  the  morning  fleecy  clouds 
came  from  south-east  in  patches.  Matipa  is  acting  the  villain, 
and  my  men  are  afraid  of  him :  they  are  all  cowards,  and  say 
that  they  are  afraid  of  me ;  but  this  is  only  an  excuse  for  their 
cowardice. 

March  19lh. — Thanks  to  the  Almighty  Preserver  of  men  for 
sparing  me  thus  far  on  the  journey  of  life!  Can  I  hope  for  ulti- 
mate success?  So  many  obstacles  have  arisen.  Let  not  Satan 
prevail  over  me,  oh  !  my  good  Lord  Jesus  !* 

8  A.M. — Got  about  twenty  people  off"  to  canoes.  Matipa  not 
friendly.  They  go  over  to  Kabinga  on  the  south-west  side  of  the 
Charnbezc,  and  thence  we  go  overland.  9  A.M. — Men  came  back 
and  reported  Matipa  false  again :  only  one  canoe  had  come.  I 
made  a  demonstration  by  taking  quiet  possession  of  his  village 
and  li.ouse.  Fired  a  ])istol  through  the  roof,  and  called  my  men, 
ten  being  left  to  guard  the  camp:  Matipa  fled  to  another  village. 
The  people  sent  off  at  once  and  brought  three  canoes,  so  at  11 
A.M.  my  men  embarked  quietly.  Tlioy  go  across  the  Chamliezr 
and  build  a  camp  on  its  left  bank.  All  Kabiiiga's  cattle  arc  kept 
on  an  island  called  Kalilo,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Chambezd,  and 


*  This  was  written  on  his  Inst  birthday. — Ed. 


49c< 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


are  perfectly  wild :  fhey  are  driven  into  the  water  like  buffaloes, 
and  pursued  when  one  is  wanted  for  meat.  No  milk  is  ever  ob- 
tained, of  course. 

March  20th.  —  Cold  north-west  weather,  but  the  rain -fall  is 
small,  as  the  south-east  stratum  conies  down  below  the  north- 
west by  day.  Matipf^  sent  two  large  baskets  of  flour  (cassava),  a 
sheep,  and  a  cock.  He  hoped  that  we  should  remain  with  him 
till  the  water  of  the  overflood  dried,  and  help  him  to  fight  his 
enemies;  but  I  explained  our  delays,  and  our  desire  to  complete 
our  work  and  meet  Baker. 

March  21st. — Very  heavy  north-west  rain  and  thunder  by  night 
and  by  morning.  I  gave  Matipa  a  coil  of  thick  brass  wire,  and 
his  wife  a  string  of  large  neck-beads,  and  explained  my  hurry  to 
be  off.  lie  is  now  all  fliir,  and  promises  largely  :  he  has  been 
much  frightened  by  our  warlike  demonstration'.  I  am  glad  I  had 
to  do  nothing  but  make  a  show  of  force. 

March  22d. — Susi  not  returned  from  Kabinga.  I  hope  that  he 
is  getting  canoes,  and  men  also,  to  transport  us  all  at  one  voyage. 
It  is  flood  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  ;  flood  four  and  six  feet 
deep  and  more,  with  three  species  of  rushes,  two  kinds  of  lotus, 
or  sacred  lily,  papyrus,  arum,  etc.  One  does  not  know  where 
land  ends  and  lake  begins:  the  presence  of  land -grass  proves 
that  this  is  not  always  overflowed. 

March  23d. — Men  returned  at  noon.  Kabinga  is  mourning  for 
his  son  killed  by  an  elephant,  and  keeps  in  seclusion.  The  camp 
is  formed  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Chambezo. 

March  2Ath. — The  people  took  the  canoes  away,  but  in  fear 
sent  for  them.  I  got  four,  and  started  with  all  our  goods,  first 
giving  a  present,  that  no  blame  should  follow  me.  We  punted 
six  hours  to  a  little  islet  without  a  tree,  and  no  sooner  did  we 
land  than  a  pitiless,  pelting  rain  came  on.  We  turned  up  a  ca- 
noe to  get  shelter.  We  shall  reach  the  Chambezd  to-morrow. 
The  wind  tore  the  tent  out  of  our  hands,  and  damaged  it  too: 
the  loads  arc  all  soaked,  and,  with  the  cold,  it  is  bitterly  uncom- 
fortable. A  man  put  my  bed  into  the  bilge,  and  never  said 
"  Bale  out,"  so  I  was  safe  for  a  wet  night,  but  it  turned  out  bet- 
ter than  I  expected.  No  grass,  but  we  made  a  bed  of  the  loads, 
and  a  blanket  fortunately  put  into  a  bag. 

March  25th. — Nothing  earthly  will  make  me  give  up  my  work 
in  despair.  I  encourage  myself  in  the  Lord  my  God,  and  go 
forward. 

We  got  off  from  our  miserably  small  islet  of  ten  yards  at  7  A.M.. 
a  grassy  sea  on  all  sides,  with  a  few  islets  in  the  far  distance. 


DESPERATE  WORK. 


499 


Four  varieties  of  rushes  around  us,  triangular  and  fluted,  rise 
from  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  above  the  water.  The  cater- 
pillars seem  to  eat  each  other,  and  a  web  is  made  round  others : 
the  numerous  spiders  may  have  been  the  workmen  of  the  nest. 
The  wind  on  the  rushes  makes  a  sound  like  the  waves  of  the 
sea.  The  flood  extends  out  in  slightly  depressed  arms  of  the 
Lake  for  twenty  or  thirty  miles,  and  far  too  broad  to  be  seen 
across:  fish  abound,  and  ant-hills  alone  lift  up  their  heads; 
they  have  trees  on  them.  Lukutu  flows  from  east  to  west  to 
the  Chambeze,  as  does  the  Lubanseusi  also.  After  another  six 
hours'  punting  over  the  same  wearisome  prairie,  or  bouga,  we 
heard  the  merry  voices  of  children.  It  was  a  large  village,  on  a 
flat,  which  seems  flooded  at  times,  but  much  cassava  is  planted 
on  mounds,  made  to  protect  the  plants  from  the  water,  which 
stood  in  places  in  the  village ;  but  we  got  a  dry  spot  for  the  tent. 
The  people  offered  us  huts.  We  had,  as  usual,  a  smart  shower 
on  the  way  to  Kasenga,  where  we  slept.  We  passed  the  islet 
Luangwa. 

March  26th. — We  started  at  7.30,  and  got  into  a  large  stream 
out  of  the  Chambeze,  called  Mabziwa.  One  canoe  sank  in  it,  and 
we  lost  a  slave-girl  of  Amoda.  Fished  up  three  boxes  and  two 
guns,  but  the  boxes,  being  full  of  cartridges,  were  much  injured; 
we  lost  the  donkey's  saddle  too.  After  this  mishap,  we  crossed 
the  Lubanseusi  near  its  confluence  with  the  Chambez^,  three 
hundred  yards  wide  and  three  fathoms  deep,  and  a  slow  current. 
We  crossed  the  Chambezd.  It  is  about  four  hundred  yards  wide, 
with  a  quick,  clear  current  of  two  knots,  and  three  fathoms  deep, 
like  the  Lubanseusi ;  but  that  was  slow  in  current,  but  clear  also. 
There  is  one  great  lock  after  another,  with  thick  mats  of  hedges, 
formed  of  aquatic  plants  between.  The  volume  of  water  is  enor- 
mous.   We  punted  five  hours,  and  then  camped. 

March  27t/i. — I  sent  canoes  and  men  back  to  Matipa's  to  bring 
all  the  men  that  remained,  telling  them  to  ship  thorn  at  once  on 
arriving,  and  not  to  make  any  talk  about  it.  Kabinga  keeps  his 
distance  from  us,  and  food  is  scarce.  At  noon  he  sent  a  man  to 
salute  me  in  his  name. 

March  2Slh.  —  Making  a  pad  for  a  donkey,  to  serve  instead 
of  a  saddle.  Kabinga  attempts  to  sell  a  sheep  at  an  exorbitant 
price,  and  says  that  he  is  weeping  over  his  dead  child.  Mabruki 
Speke's  hut  caught  fire  at  night,  and  his  cartridge-box  was  burned. 

Afarch  29</t.— I  bought  a  sheep  for  one  hundred  strings  of  bcad.-s. 
I  wished  to  begin  the  exchange  by  being  generous,  and  told  his 
messenger  so;  then  a  small  quantity  of  maize  was  brought,  and  I 

34 


500 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


grumbled  at  the  meanness  of  the  present:  there  is  no  use  in  be- 
ing bashful,  as  they  are  not  ashamed  to  grumble  too.  The  man 
said  that  Kabinga  would  send  more  when  he  had  collected  it. 

March  SOth,  Sunday. — A  lion  roars  mightily.  The  fish-hawk 
utters  his  weird  voice  in  the  morning,  as  if  he  lifted  up  to  a  friend 
at  a  great  distance,  in  a  sort  of  falsetto  key. 

5  P.M. — Men  returned,  but  the  large  canoe  having  been  broken 
by  the  donkey,  we  have  to  go  back  and  pay  for  it,  and  take  away 
about  twenty  men  now  left.  Matipa  kept  all  the  payment  from 
his  own  people,  and  so  left  us  in  the  lurch;  thus  another  five 
days  is  lost. 

March  Zlst. — I  sent  the  men  back  to  Matipa's  for  all  our  par- 
ty. I  give  two  dotis  to  repair  the  canoe.  Islanders  are  always 
troublesome,  from  a  sense  of  security  in  their  fastnesses.  Made 
stirrups  of  thick  brass  wire  fourfold  ;  they  p'romise  to  do  well. 
Sent  Kabinga  a  cloth  and  a  message,  but  he  is  evidently  a  nig- 
gard, like  Matipa;  we  must  take  him  as  we  find  him  ;  there  is 
no  use  in  growling.  Seven  of  our  men  returned,  having  got  a 
canoe  from  one  of  Matipa's  men.  Kabinga,  it  seems,  was  pleased 
with  the  cloth,  and  says  that  he  will  ask  for  maize  from  his  peo- 
ple, and  buy  it  for  me ;  he  has  rice  growing.  He  will  send  a 
canoe  to  carry  me  over  the  next  river. 

April  3d,  1873.  — Very  heavy  rain  last  night.  Six  inches  fell 
in  a  short  time.    The  men  at  last  have  come  from  Matipa's. 

April  Ath. — Sent  over  to  Kabinga  to  buy  a  cow,  and  got  a  fai 
one  for  two  dotis  and  a  half,  to  give  the  party  a  feast  ere  we  start. 
The  kambari  fish  of  the  Chambezd  is  three  feet  three  inches  in 
length. 

Two  others,  the  "polwe"  and  "  lopatakwao,"  all  go  up  the 
Chambeze  to  spawn  when  the  rains  begin.  Casembe's  people 
make  caviare  of  the  spawn  of  the  "  pumbo." 

[The  next  entry  is  made  in  a  new  pocket-book,  numbered 
XVII.  For  the  first  few  days  pen  and  ink  were  used  ;  afterward 
a  well-worn  stump  of  pencil,  stuck  into  a  steel  pen-holder  and 
attached  to  a  piece  of  bamboo,  served  his  purpose.] 

April  5th. — March  from  Kabinga's  on  the  Chambeze,  our  lug- 
gage in  canoes,  and  men  on  land.  We  punted  on  flood  six  feet 
deep,  with  many  ant-hills  all  about,  covered  with  trees.  Course 
south-south-east,  for  five  miles,  across  the  River  Lobingela,  slug- 
gish, and  about  three  hundred  yards  wide. 

April  6th. — Leave  in  the  same  way,  but  men  were  sent  from 
Kabinga  to  steal  the  canoes  which  we  paid  his  brother  Mateysa 


THE  LOTINGILA  RIVER. 


501 


handsomely  for.  A  stupid  drummer,  beating  the  alarm  in  the 
distance,  called  us  inland.  We  found  the  main  body  of  our  peo- 
ple had  gone  on,  and  so  by  this  our  party  got  separated,*  and 
we  pulled  and  punted  six  or  seven  hours  south-west  in  great  dif- 
ficulty, as  the  fishermen  we  saw  refused  to  show  us  where  the 
deep  water  lay.  The  whole  country  south  of  the  Lake  was  cov- 
ered with  water,  thickly  dotted  over  with  lotus-leaves  and  rushes. 
It  has  a  greenish  appearance,  and  it  might  be  well  on  a  map  to 
show  the  spaces  annually  flooded  by  a  broad  wavy  band,  twenty, 
thirty,  and  even  forty  miles  out  from  the  permanent  banks  of  the 
Lake :  it  might  be  colored  light  green.  The  broad  estuaries,  fifty 
or  more  miles,  into  which  the  rivers  form  themselves,  might  be 
colored  blue,  but  it  is  quite  impossible  at  present  to  tell  where 
land  ends  and  Lake  begins  :  it  is  all  water,  water  everywhere, 
which  seems  to  be  kept  from  flowing  quickly  off  by  the  narrow 
bed  of  the  Luapula,  which  has  perpendicular  banks,  worn  deep 
down  in  new  red  sandstone.  It  is  the  Nile  apparently  enacting 
its  inundations,  even  at  its  sources.  The  amount  of  water  spread 
out  over  the  country  constantly  excites  my  wonder ;  it  is  pro- 
digious. Many  of  the  ant-hills  are  cultivated  and  covered  with 
dura,  pumpkins,  beans,  maize,  but  the  waters  yield  food  plen- 
teously  in  fish  and  lotus-roots.  A  species  of  wild  rice  grows,  but 
the  people  neither  need  it  nor  know  it.  A  party  of  fishermen 
fled  fiom  us,  but  by  coaxing  we  got  them  to  show  us  deep  water. 
They  then  showed  us  an  islet,  about  thirty  yards  square,  without 
wood,  and  desired  us  to  sleep  there.  We  went  on,  and  then  they 
decamped. 

Pitiless  pelting  showers  wetted  every  tiling;  but  near  sunset 
we  saw  two  fishermen  paddling  quickly  oft"  from  an  ant-hill, 
where  we  found  a  hut,  plenty  of  fish,  and  some  fire-wood.  There 
we  spent  the  night,  and  watched  by  turns,  lest  thieves  should 
come  and  haul  away  our  canoes  and  goods.  Ileavy  rain.  One 
canoe  sank,  wetting  every  thing  in  her.  The  leaks  in  her  had 
been  stopped  with  clay,  and  a  man  sleeping  near  the  stern  had 
displaced  this  frail  calking.  We  did  not  touch  the  fish,  and  I 
can  not  conjecture  who  has  inspired  fear  in  all  the  inhabitants. 

April  7th. — Went  on  south-west,  and  saw  two  men,  who  guided 
us  to  the  River  Muanakazi,  which  forms  a  connecting  link  be- 
tween the  River  TiOlingila  and  the  Lolotikila,  about  the  southern 
borders  of  the  flood.    Men  were  hunting,  atul  wc  passed  near 


j  *  Dr.  Livingstone's  object  wns  to  kccj)  tlic  liin(l-|iuity  nmrcliing  jmrallel  to  liini 
I   while  lie  kept  nearer  to  the  Lake  in  a  canoe. —Ki>. 


502 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOVRNALS. 


large  herds  of  antelopes,  which  made  a  rushing,  plunging  sound 
as  they  ran  and  sprang  away  among  the  waters.  A  lion  had 
wandered  into  this  world  of  water  and  ant-hills,  and  roared  night 
and  morning,  as  if  very  much  disgusted:  we  could  sympathize 
with  him !  Near  to  the  Muanakazi,  at  a  broad  bank  in  shallow 
water  near  the  river,  we  had  to  unload  and  haul.  Our  guides 
left  us,  well  pleased  with  the  payment  we  had  given  them.  The 
natives  beating  a  drum  on  our  east  made  us  believe  them  to  be 
our  party,  and  some  thought  that  they  heard  two  shots.  Tiiis 
misled  us,  and  we  went  toward  the  sound  through  papyrus,  tall 
rushes,  arums,  and  grass,  till  tired  out,  and  took  refuge  on  an  ant- 
hill for  the  night.  Lion  roaring.  We  were  lost  in  stiff,  grassy 
prairies,  from  three  to  four  feet  deep  in  water,  for  five  hours. 
We  fired  a  gun  in  the  stillness  of  the  night, .but  received  no  an- 
swer ;  so  on  the  8th  we  sent  a  small  canoe  at  day-break  to  ask 
for  information  and  guides  from  the  village  where  the  drums  had 
been  beaten.  Two  men  came,,  and  they  thought  likewise  that 
our  party  was  south-east:  but  in  that  direction  the  water  was 
about  fifteen  inches  in  spots  and  three  feet  in  others,  which  caused 
constant  dragging  of  the  large  canoe  all  day,  and,  at  last  we  un- 
loaded at  another  branch  of  the  Muanakazi  with  a  village  of 
friendly  people.    We  slept  there. 

All  hands  at  the  large  canoe  could  move  her  only  a  few  feet. 
Putting  all  their  strength  to  her,  she  stopped  at  every  haul  with 
a  jerk,  as  if  in  a  bank  of  adhesive  plaster.  I  measured  the  crown 
of  a  papyrus-plant,  or  palm  ;  it  was  three  feet  across  horizontal- 
ly, its  stalk  eight  feet  in  height.  Hundreds  of  a  large  dark -gray, 
hairy  caterpillar  have  nearly  cleared  off  the  rushes  in  spots,  and 
now  live  on  each  other.  They  can  make  only  the  smallest  prog- 
ress by  swimming,  or  rather  wriggling,  in  the  water:  their  motion 
is  that  of  a  watch-spring  thrown  down,  dilating  and  contracting. 

April  9fh. — After  two  hours'  threading  the  very  winding,  dec]i 
channel  of  this  southern  branch  of  the  Muanakazi,  we  came  to 
where  our  land-party  had  crossed  it  and  gone  on  to  Gandochit^, 
a  chief  on  the  Lolotikila.  My  men  were  all  done  up,  so  I  hired 
a  man  to  call  some  of  his  friends  to  take  the  loads;  but  he  was 
.stopped  by  his  relations  in  the  way,  saying,  "You  ought  to  have 
one  of  the  traveler's  own  people  with  3^ou."  lie  returned,  but 
did  not  tell  us  plainly  or  tnil}^  till  this  morning. 

[The  recent  heavy  exertions,  coupled  witli  constant  exposure 
ana  extreme  anxiety  and  annoyance,  no  doubt  brought  on  the 
severe  attack  which  is  noticed,  as  we  see  in  the  words  of  the  next 
few  day.s.] 


THE  BORDERS  OF  BANGWEOLO. 


503 


April  10th. — The  head  man  of  the  village  explained,  and  we 
sent  two  of  our  men,  who  had  a  night's  rest  with  the  turn-again 
fellow  of  yesterday.  I  am  pale,  bloodless,  and  weak,  from  bleed- 
ing profusely  ever  since  the  31st  of  March  last:  an  artery  gives 
off  a  copious  stream,  and  takes  away  my  strength.  Oh,  how  I 
long  to  be  permitted  by  the  Over  Power  to  finish  my  work ! 

Airril  12th. — Cross  the  Muanakazi.  It  is  about  one  hundred 
or  one  hundred  and  thirty  yards  broad,  and  deep.  Great  loss  of 
difia  made  me  so  weak  I  could  hardly  walk,  but  tottered  along 
nearly  two  hours,  and  then  lay  down  quite  done.  Cooked  coffee 
— our  last — and  went  on,  but  in  an  hour  I  was  compelled  to  lie 
down.  V§ry  unwilling  to  be  carried,  but,  oti  being  pressed,  I  al- 
lowed the  men  to  help  me  along  by  relays  to  Chinama,  where 
there  is  much  cultivation.    We  camped  in  a  garden  of  dura. 

April  13th. — Found  that  we  had  slept  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Lolotikila,  a  sluggish,  marshy -looking  river,  very  winding,  but 
here  going  about  south-west.  The  country  is  all  so  very  flat  that 
the  rivers  down  here  are  of  necessity  tortuous.  Fish  and  other 
food  abundant,  and  the  people  civil  and  reasonable.  They  usual- 
ly partake  largely  of  the  character  of  the  chief,  and  this  one,  Gon- 
docliite,  is  polite.  The  sky  is  clearing,  and  the  south-east  wind 
is  the  lower  stratum  now.  It  is  the  dry  season  well  begun. 
Seventy-three  inches  is  a  higher  rain-fall  than  has  been  observed 
anywhere  else,  even  in  Northern  Manyuema;  it  was  lower  by 
inches  than  here  far  south  on  the  water-shed.  In  foct  this  is  the 
very  heaviest  rain-fall  known  in  these  latitudes:  between  fifty 
and  sixty  is  the  maximum. 

One  sees  interminable  grassy  prairies,  with  lines  of  trees,  occu- 
pying quarters  of  miles  in  breadth,  and  these  give  way  to  bouga, 
or  prairie,  again.  The  bouga  is  flooded  annually,  but  its  vegeta- 
tion consists  of  dry-land  grasses.  Other  bouga  extend  out  from 
the  Lake  up  to  forty  miles,  and  are  known  by  aquatic  vegetation, 
such  as  lotus,  papyrus,  arums,  rushes  of  different  species,  and 
many  kinds  of  purely  aquatic  subaqueous  plants  which  send  up 
their  flowers  only  to  fructify  in  the  sun,  and  then  sink  to  ripen, 
one  bunch  after  another.  Others,  with  great  cabbage -looking 
leaves,  seem  to  remain  always  at  the  bottom.  The  young  of  fi.sh 
swarm,  and  bob  in  and  out  from  the  loaves.  A  species  of  soft 
moss  grows  on  most  plants,  and  seems  to  be  good  fodder  for  fishes, 
fitted  by  hooked  or  turned-up  noses  to  guide  it  into  their  maw.s. 

One  species  of  fish  has  the  lower  jaw  turned  down  into  a  hook, 
which  enables  the  animal  to  hold  its  month  close  to  the  plant  as 
it  glides  up  or  down,  sucking  in  all  the  soft  pulpy  food.  Tli»> 


504 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


superabundance  of  gelatinous  nutriment  makes  these  swarmers 
increase  in  bulk  with  extraordinary  rapidity,  and  the  food  supply 
of  the  people  is  plenteous  in  consequence.  The  number  of  fish 
caught  by  weirs,  baskets,  and  nets  now,  as  the  waters  decline,  is 
prodigious.  The  fish  feel  their  element  becoming  insuflficient  for 
comfort,  and  retire  from  one  bouga  to  another  toward  the  Lake ; 
the  narrower  parts  are  duly  prepared  by  weirs  to  take  advantage 
of  their  necessities :  the  sun  heat  seems  to  oppress  them,  and 
forces  them  to  flee.  With  the  south-east  aerial  current  comes 
heat  and  sultriness.  A  blanket  is  scarcely  needed  till  the  early 
hours  of  the  morning,  and  here,  after  the  turtle-doves  and  cocks 
give  out  their  warning  calls  to  the  watchful,  the  fish-eagle  lifts  up 
his  remarkable  voice.  It  i-s  pitched  in  a  high  falsetto  key,  very 
loud,  and  seems  as  if  he  were  calling  to  some  .one  in  the  other 
world.  Once  heard,  his  weird,  unearthly  voice  can  never  be  for- 
gotten— it  sticks  to  one  through  life. 

We  were  four  hours  in  being  ferried  over  the  Loitikila,  or 
Lolotikila,  in  four  small  canoes,  and  then  two  hours  south-west 
down  its  left  bank  to  another  river,  where  our  camp  has  been 
formed.  I  sent  over  a  present  to  the  head  man,  and  a  man  re- 
turned with  the  information  tliat  he  was  ill  at  another  village, 
but  his  wife  would  send  canoes  to-morrow  to  transport  us  over, 
and  set  us  on  our  way  to  Muanazambamba,  south-west,  and  over 
Lolotikila  again. 

April  14ith. — At  a  branch  of  the  Lolotikila. 

April  15th. — Cross  Lolotikila  again  (where  it  is  only  fifty  yards) 
by  canoes,  and  went  south-west  an  hour.  I,  being  very  weak, 
had  to  be  carried  part  of  the  way.  Am  glad  of  resting;  aifiu 
flowed  copiously  last  night.  A  woman,  the  wife  of  the  chief, 
gave  a  present  of  a  goat  and  maize. 

April  16lh. — Went  south-west  two  and  a  half  hours,  and  cross- 
ed the  Lombatwa  River  of  one  hundred  yards  in  width,  rush- 
deep,  and  flowing  fast  in  aquatic  vegetation,  papyrus,  etc.,  into 
the  Loitikila.    In  all,  about  three  hours  south-west. 

April  11th.— -A.  tremendous  rain  after  dark  burst  all  our  now 
rotten  tents  to  shreds.  Went  on,  at  6.35  a.m.,  for  three  hours, 
and  I,  who  was  suffering  severely  all  night,  had  to  rest.  We  got 
water  near  the  surfoce  by  digging  in  yellow  sand.  Three  hills 
now  appear  in  the  distance.  Our  course,  south-west  three  hours 
and  three-quarters  to  a  village  on  the  Kazya  River.  A  Nj^assa 
man  declared  that  his  fatlicr  had  brought  the  heavy  rain  of  the 
16th  on  us.    We  crossed  three  sponges. 

April  18th. — On  leaving  the  village  on  the  Kazyn,  we  forded 


ALARMING  SYMPTOMS. 


505 


it,  and  found  it  seventy  yards  broad,  waist  to  breast  deep  all  over. 
A  large  weir  spanned  it,  and  we  went  on  the  lower  side  of  that. 
Much  papyrus  and  other  aquatic  plants  in  it.  Fish  are  returning 
now  with  the  falling  waters,  and  are  guided  into  the  rush-cones 
set  for  them.  Crossed  two  large  sponges,  and  I  was  forced  to 
stop  at  a  village  after  traveling  south-west  for  two  hours:  very 
ill  all  night,  but  remembered  that  the  bleeding  and  most  other 
ailments  in  this  land  are  forms  of  fever.  Took  two-scruple  doses 
of  quinine,  and  stopped  it  quite. 

xijml  19th. — A  fine  bracing  south-east  breeze  kept  me  on  the 
donkey  across  a  broad  sponge  and  over  flats  of  white  sandy  soil, 
and  much  cultivation,  for  an  hour  and  a  half,  when  we  stopped 
at  a  large  village  on  the  right  bank  of  ,*  and  men  went 

over  to  the  chief  Muanzambamba  to  ask  canoes  to  cross  to-mor- 
row. I  am  excessively  weak,  and  but  for  the  donkey,  could  not 
move  a  hundred  yards.  It  is  not  all  pleasure,  this  exploration. 
The  Lavusi  hills  are  a  relief  to  the  eye  in  this  flat  upland.  Their 
forms  show  an  igneous  origin.  The  River  Kazya  comes  from 
them,  and  goes  direct  into  the  Lake.  No  observations  now,  ow- 
ing to  great  weakness:  I  can  scarcely  hold  a  pencil,  and  my  stick 
is  a  burden.  Tent  gone:  the  men  build  a  good  hut  for  me  and 
the  luggage.    South-west  one  hour  and  a  half 

April  20th,  Sunday. — Service.  Cross  over  the  sponge  Moenda 
for  food,  and  to  be  near  the  head  man  of  these  parts,  Muanzam- 
bamba. I  am  excessively  weak.  Village  on  Moenda  sponge. 
7  A.M. — Cross  Lokulu  in  a  canoe.  The  river  is  about  thirty 
yards  broad,  very  deep,  and  flowing  in  marshes  two  knots,  from 
south-south-east  to  north-north-west,  into  Lake. 


*  He  leaves  room  for  a  name  which  perhaps  in  his  exhausted  state  he  tbrgot  tu 
ascertain. 


506 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


CHAPTER  XXY. 

Dr.  Livingstone  rapidly  sinking. — Last  Entries  in  his  Diary. — Susi  and  Chuma's  ad- 
ditional Details. — Great  Agony  in  his  last  Illness. — Carried  across  Rivers  and 
through  Flood. — Inquiries  for  the  Hill  of  the  Four  Rivers. — Kalunganjovu's  Kind- 
ness.—  Crosses  the  Mohlamo  into  the  District  of  Ilala  in  great  Pain. — Arrives 
at  Chitambo's  Village.  —  Chitambo  comes  to  visit  the  dying  Traveler. — The  last 
Night. — Livingstone  expires  in  the  Act  of  praying. — The  Account  of  what  the 
Men  saw. — Remarks  on  his  Death. — Council  of  the  Men. — Leaders  selected. — 
The  Chief  discovers  that  his  Giiest  is  dead. — Noble  Conduct  of  Chitambo. — A 
separate  Village  built  by  the  Men  wherein  to  prejjare  the  JJody  for  Transport. — 
The  Preparation  of  the  Corpse. — Honor  shown  bj'  the  Natives  to  Dr.  Livingstone. 
— Additional  Remarks  on  the  Cause  of  Death. — Interment  of  the  Heart  at  Ciii- 
tambo's,  in  Ilala  of  the  Wabisa. — Au  Inscription  and  memorial  ISign-posts  left  to 
denote  Spot. 

[We  have  now  arrived  at  tlie  last  words  written  in  Dr.  Living- 
stone's diary:  a  copy  of  the  two  pages  in  his  pocket-boolc  which 
contains  them  is,  by  the  help  of  photography,  set  before  the  read- 
er. It  is  evident  that  he  was  unable  to  do  more  than  make 
the  shortest  memoranda,  and  to  mark  on  the  map  which  he  was 
making  the  streams  which  enter  the  Lake  as  he  crossed  them. 
From  the  22d  to  the  27th  of  April  he  had  not  strength  to  write 
down  any  thing  but  the  several  dates.  Fortunately  Susi  and 
Chuma  give  a  very  clear  and  circumstantial  accoixnt  of  every  in- 
cident which  occurred  on  these  days,  and  we  shall  therefore  add 
what  they  say,  after  each  of  the  doctor's  entries.    He  writes:] 

April  21st. — Tried  to  ride,  but  was  forced  to  lie  down,  and  they 
carried  me  back  to  vil.  exhausted. 

[The  men  explain  this  entry  thus:  This  morning  the  doctor 
tried  if  he  were  strong  enough  to  ride  on  the  donkey,  but  he  had 
only  gone  a  short  distance  when  he  fell  to  the  ground  utterly  ex- 
hausted and  faint.  Susi  immediately  untlid  his  belt  and  pistol, 
and  picked  up  his  cap,  which  had  dropped  off,  while  Chuma  threw 
down  his  gun  and  ran  to  stop  the  men  on  ahead.  When  he  got 
back,  the  doctor  said,  "Chuma,  I  have  lost  so  much  blood,  there 
is  no  more  strength  left  in  my  legs:  you  must  carry  me."  He 
was  then  assisted  gently  to  liis  shoulders,  and,  holding  the  man's 
head  to  steady  himself,  was  borne  back  to  the  village  and  placed 
in  the  hut  he  had  so  recently  left.  It  was  necessary  to  let  the 
chief  Muanzambamba  know  what  had  happened,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose Dr.  Livingstone  dispatched  a  messenger.  He  was  directed 
to  ask  him  to  supply  a  guide  for  the  next  day,  as  he  trusted  then 


i 


I 


cJU&uJ^    ly<P^^  L^u-^^Ct 
CvC^__^:^J:;fll^.-  ' 


AlTOCiltAPU  FAC-SIMII.E  OF  LAST  KNTKV 


<1/cr 


IN  I.IVINOSTONE's  NOTE-IIOOK. 


THE  LAST  DAYS. 


507 


to  have  recovered  so  far  as  to  be  able  to  march.  The  answer 
was,  "  Stay  as  long  as  you  wish,  and  when  you  want  guides  to 
Kalunganjovu's  you  shall  have  them."] 

April  22(1. — Carried  on  kitanda  over  Buga  south-west  two  and 
a  quarter.* 

[His  servants  say  that,  instead  of  rallying,  they  saw  that  his 
strength  was  becoming  less  and  less;  and  in  order  to  carry  him 
they  made  a  kitanda  of  wood,  consisting  of  two  side-pieces  of 
seven  feet  in  length,  crossed  with  rails  three  feet  long  and  about 
four  inches  apart,  the  whole  lashed  strongly  together.  This 
frame-work  was  covered  with  grass,  and  a  blanket  laid  on  it. 
Slung  from  a  pole,  and  borne  between  two  strong  men,  it  made 
a  tolerable  palanquin,  and  on  this  the  exhausted  traveler  was 
conveyed  to  the  next  village  through  a  flooded  grass  plain.  To 
render  the  kitanda  more  comfortable,  another  blanket  was  sus- 
pended across  the  pole,  so  as  to  hang  down  on  either  side,  and 
allow  the  air  to  pass  under  while  the  sun's  rays  were  fended  off 
from  the  sick  man.  The  start  was  deferred  this  morning  until 
the  dew  was  off  the  heads  of  the  long  grass  sufficiently  to  insure 
his  being  kept  tolerably  dry. 

The  excruciating  pains  of  his  dysenteric  malady  caused  him 
the  greatest  exhaustion  as  they  marched,  and  they  were  glad 
enough  to  reach  another  village  in  two  hours  and  a  quarter,  hav- 
ing traveled  south-west  from  the  last  point.  Ilere  another  hut 
was  built.  The  name  of  the  halting-place  is  not  remembered 
by  the  men,  for  the  villagers  fled  at  their  approach;  indeed  the 
noise  made  by  the  drums  sounding  the  alarm  had  been  caught  by 
the  doctor  some  time  before,  and  he  exclaimed  with  thankfulness 
on  hearing  it,  "Ah,  now  we  are  near!"  Throughout  this  day  the 
following  men  acted  as  bearers  of  the  kitanda:  Chowperd,  Songo- 
lo,  Chuma,  and  Adiamberi.    Sowf^rd,  too,  joined  in  at  one  time.] 

April  23d. — (No  entry  except  the  date.) 

[They  advanced  another  hour  and  a  half  through  the  vSame 
expanse  of  flooded,  treeless  waste,  passing  numbers  of  small  fish- 
weirs  set  in  such  a  manner  as  to  catch  the  fish  on  their  way  back 
to  the  Lake,  but  seeing  nothing  of  the  owners,  who  had  eitlicr 
hidden  themselves  or  taken  to  flight  on  the  approach  of  the  car- 
avan. Another  village  afforded  them  a  night's  slielter,  but  it 
.seems  not  to  be  known  by  any  particular  name.] 

April       — (No  entry  except  the  date.) 

[But  one  hour's  march  was  accomplished  to-day,  and  again  they 
halted  among  some  huts — place  unknown.    Ilis  great  prostration 


*  Two  lioiii-!<  iind  11  (innrler  in  n  Hoiitli-westerly  dircctiuti. 


508 


LIVmGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUENALS. 


made  progress  exceedingly  painful,  and  frequenth',  when  it  was 
necessary  to  stop  the  bearers  of  the  kitanda,  Chuma  had  to  sup- 
port the  doctor  from  falling.] 

April  2bth. — (No  entry  except  the  date.) 

[In  an  hour's  course  south-west  they  arrived  at  a  village  in 
which  they  found  a  few  people.  While  his  servants  were  busy 
completing  the  hut  for  the  night's  encampment,  the  doctor,  who 
was  lying  in  a  shady  place  on  the  kitanda,  ordered  them  to  fetch 
one  of  the  villagers.  The  chief  of  the  place  had  disappeared,  but 
the  rest  of  his  people  seemed  quite  at  their  ease,  and  drew  near 
to  hear  what  was  going  to  be  said.  They  were  asked  whether 
they  knew  of  a  hill  on  which  four  rivers  took  their  rise.  The 
spokesman  answered  that  they  had  no  knowledge  of  it;  they 
themselves,  said  he,  were  not  travelers,  and  all  th^ose  who  used  to 
go  on  trading  expeditions  were  now  dead.  In  former  years  Ma- 
lenga's  town,  Kutchinyama,  was  the  assembling-place  of  the  Wa- 
bisa  traders,  but  these  had  been  swept  off  by  the  Mazitu.  Such 
as  survived  had  to  exist  as  best  they  could  among  the  swamps 
and  inundated  districts  around  the  Lake.  Whenever  an  expe- 
dition was  organized  to  go  to  the  coast,  or  in  any  other  direction, 
travelers  met  at  Malenga's  town  to  talk  over  the  route  to  be 
taken  :  then  would  have  been  the  time,  said  they,  to  get  informa- 
tion about  every  part.  Dr.  Livingstone  was  here  obliged  to  dis- 
miss them,  and  explained  that  he  was  too  ill  to  continue  talking, 
but  he  begged  them  to  bring  as  much  food  as  they  could  for  sale 
to  Kalunganjovu's.] 

April  2Qth. — (No  entry  except  the  date.) 

[They  proceeded  as  far  as  Kalunganjovu's  town,  the  chief  him- 
self coming  to  meet  them  on  the  way,  dressed  in  Arab  costume 
and  wearing  a  red  fez.  While  waiting  here,  Susi  was  instructed 
to  count  over  the  bags  of  beads,  and  on  reporting  that  twelve  still 
remained  in  stock,  Dr.  Livingstone  told  him  to  buy  two  large 
tusks  if  an  opportunity  occurred,  as  he  might  run  short  of  goods 
by  the  time  they  got  to  Ujiji,  and  could  then  exchange  them 
with  the  Arabs  there  for  cloth,  to  spend  on  their  way  to  Zan- 
zibar. 

To-dny,  April  27th,  1873,  he  seems  to  have  been  almost  dying. 
No  entry  at  all  was  made  in  his  diary  after  that  whicli  follows, 
and  it  must  have  taxed  him  to  the  utmost  to  write:] 

"Knocked  up  quite,  and  remain — recover — sent  to  buy  milch- 
goats.    We  are  on  the  banks  of  the  Molilamo." 

[They  are  the  last  words  that  David  Livingstone  wrote.  From 
this  point  we  have  to  trust  entirely  to  the  narrative  of  the  men. 
They  cx})Iain  the  above  sentence  as  follows:  Salimanc,  Amisi. 


THE  PARTY  SET  OUT. 


509 


Hamsani,  and  Laede,  accompanied  by  a  guide,  were  sent  off  to  en- 
deavor, if  possible,  to  buy  some  milch-goats  on  the  upper  part  of 
the  Molilamo.*  They  could  not,  however,  succeed  ;  it  was  al- 
ways the  same  story — the  Mazitu  had  taken  every  thing.  The 
chief,  nevertheless,  sent  a  substantial  present  of  a  kid  and  three 
baskets  of  ground-nuts,  and  the  people  were  willing  enough  to 
exchange  food  for  beads.  Thinking  he  could  eat  some  mapira 
corn  pounded  up  with  ground-nuts,  the  doctor  gave  instructions 
to  the  two  women,  M'sozi  and  M'toweka,  to  prepare  it  for  him, 
but  he  was  not  able  to  take  it  when  they  brought  it  to  him.] 

April  28th. — Men  were  now  dispatched  in  an  opposite  dii-ec- 
tion,  that  is,  to  visit  the  villages  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Molila- 
mo  as  it  flows  to  the  Lake ;  unfortunately,  they  met  with  no  bet- 
ter result,  and  returned  empty-handed. 

On  AjJril  29///,  Kalunganjovu  and  most  of  his  people  came 
early  to  the  village.  The  chief  wished  to  assi.st  his  guest  to  the 
utmost,  and  stated  that  as  he  could  not  be  sure  that  a  sufficient 
number  of  canoes  would  be  forthcoming  unless  he  took  charge 
of  matters  himself,  he  should  accompany  the  caravan  to  the 
crossing- place,  which  was  about  an  hour's  march  from  the  spot. 
"Every  thing  should  be  done  for  his  friend,"  he  said. 

They  were  ready  to  set  out.  On  Susi's  going  to  the  hut.  Dr. 
Livingstone  told  him  that  he  was  quite  unable  to  walk  to  the 
door  to  reach  the  kitanda,  and  he  wished  the  men  to  break  down 
one  side  of  the  little  house,  as  the  entrance  was  too  narrow  to  ad- 
mit it,  and  in  this  manner  to  bring  it  to  him  where  he  was:  this 
was  done,  and  he  was  gently  placed  upon  it,  and  borne  out  of  the 
village. 

Their  course  was  in  the  direction  of  the  stream,  and  they  fol- 
lowed it  till  they  came  to  a  reach  where  the  current  was  uninter- 
rupted by  the  numerous  little  inlands  which  stood  partly  in  the 
liver,  and  partly  in  the  flood  on  the  upper  waters.  Kalungan- 
jovu was  seated  on  a  knoll,  and  actively  superintended  the  em- 
barkation, while  Dr.  Livingstone  told  his  bearers  to  take  him  to 
a  tree  at  a  little  distance  off,  that  he  might  rest  in  the  shade  till 
most  of  the  men  were  on  the  other  side.  A  good  deal  of  care 
was  required,  for  the  river,  by  no  means  a  large  one  in  ordinary 
times,  spread  its  waters  in  all  directions,  so  that  a  false  step,  or 
a  stumble  in  any  unseen  hole,  would  have  drenched  the  invalid 
and  the  bed  also  on  which  he  was  carried. 


*  Tlie  name  Molilntno  is  nlloucd  to  stnnd,  l)tit  ill  Dr.  Living!>tonc'!i  inH|)  \\c  fiiul  it 
Liiliiniilu,  nil  J  tiic  inuii  cuiilinn  tliis  ]ii'utiiiiii'iation.— -Ki>. 


010 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


The  passage  occupied  some  time,  and  then  came  the  difficult 
task  of  conveying  the  doctor  across,  for  the  canoes  were  not  wide 
enough  to  allow  the  kitanda  to  be  deposited  in  the  bottom  of 
either  of  them.  Hitherto,  no  matter  how  weak,  Livingstone  had 
always  been  able  to  sit  in  the  various  canoes  they  had  used  on 
like  occasions,  but  now  he  had  no  power  to  do  so.  Taking  his 
bed  off  the  kitanda,  they  laid  it  in  the  bottom  of  the  strongest 
canoe,  and  tried  to  lift  him ;  but  he  could  not  bear  the  pain  of  a 
hand  being  passed  under  his  back.  Beckoning  to  Chuma,  in  a 
faint  voice  he  asked  him  to  stoop  down  over  him  as  low  as  pos- 
sible, so  that  he  might  clasp  his  hands  together  behind  his  head, 
directing  him  at  the  same  time  how  to  avoid  putting  any  pressure 
on  the  lumbar  region  of  the  back ;  in  this  way  he  was  deposited 
in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe,  and  quickly  ferried  across  the  Mo- 
lilamo  by  Chowpere,  Susi,  Farijala,  and  Chuma.  The  same  pre- 
cautions were  used  on  the  other  side:  the  kitanda  was  brouo-ht 
close  to  the  canoe,  so  as  to  prevent  any  unnecessary  pain  in  dis- 
embarking. 

Susi  now  hurried  on  ahead  to  reach  Chitambo's  village,  and 
superintend  the  building  of  another  house.  For  the  first  mile  or 
two  they  had  to  carry  the  doctor  through  swamps  and  plashes, 
glad  to  reach  something  like  a  dry  plain  at  last. 

It  would  seem  that  his  strength  was  here  at  its  very  lowest 
ebb.  Chuma,  one  of  his  bearers  on  these,  the  last  weary  miles 
the  great  traveler  was  destined  to  accomplish,  says  that  they 
were  every  now  and  then  implored  to  stop  and  place  their  bur- 
den on  the  ground.  So  great  were  the  pangs  of  his  disease  dur- 
ing this  day  that  he  could  make  no  attempt  to  stand,  and  if  lift- 
ed for  a  few  yards  a  drowsiness  came  over  him,  which  alarmed 
them  all  excessively.  This  was  specially  the  case  at  one  spot 
where  a  tree  stood  in  the  path.  Here  one  of  his  attendants  was 
called  to  him,  and,  on  stooping  down,  he  found  him  unable  to 
speak  from  faintne-ss.  Tliey  replaced  him  in  the  kitanda,  and 
made  the  best  of  their  way  on  the  journey.  Some  distance  fai-- 
ther  on  great  thirst  oppressed  him:  he  asked  them  if  they  liad 
any  water,  but,  unfortunately,  for  once,  not  a  drop  was  to  be  pro- 
cured. Hastening  on  for  fear  of  getting  too  far  separated  from 
the  party  in  advance,  to  their  great  comfort  they  now  saw  Fa- 
rijala approaching  with  some,  which  Susi  had  thoughtfully  sent 
off  from  Cliitambo's  village. 

Still  wending  their  way  on,  it  seemed  as  if  they  would  not 
complete  their  task,  for  again  at  a  clearing  the  sick  man  entreat- 
ed them  to  place  him  on  the  ground,  and  to  let  him  stay  where 


CHITAMBO'S  COURTESY  VISIT. 


511 


he  was.  Fortunately  at  this  moment  some  of  the  outlying  huts 
of  the  village  came  in  sight,  and  they  tried  to  rally  him  by  tell- 
ing him  that  he  would  quickly  be  in  the  house  that  the  others 
had  gone  on  to  build;  but  they  were  obliged,  as  it  was,  to  allow 
him  to  remain  for  an  hour  in  the  native  gardens  outside  the 
town. . 

On  reaching  their  companions,  it  was  found  that  the  work  was 
not  quite  finished,  and  it  became  necessary,  therefore,  to  lay  him 
under  the  broad  eaves  of  a  native  hut  till  things  were  read}-. 

Chitambo's  village  at  this  time  was  almost  empty.  When  the 
crops  are  growing,  it  is  the  custom  to  erect  little  temporary 
houses  in  the  fields,  and  the  inhabitants,  leaving  their  more  sub- 
stantial huts,  pass  the  time  in  watching  their  crops,  which  are 
scarcely  more  safe  by  day  than  by  night;  thus  it  was  that  the 
men  found  plenty  of  room'  and  shelter  ready  to  their  hand. 
Many  of  the  people  approached  the  spot  where  he  lay  whose 
praises  had  reached  them  in  previous  years,  and  in  silent  wonder 
they  stood  round  him,  resting  on  their  bows.  Slight  drizzling 
showers  were  falling,  and  as  soon  as  possible  his  house  was  made 
ready,  and  banked  round  with  earth. 

Inside  it,  the  bed  was  raised  from  the  floor  by  sticks  and  grass, 
occupying  a  position  across  and  near  to  the  bay-shnped  end  of 
the  hut:  in  tlie  bay  itself  bales  and  boxes  were  deposited,  one  of 
the  latter  doing  duty  for  a  table,  on  which  the  medicine-chest  and 
sundry  other  things  were  placed.  A  fire  was  lighted  outside, 
nearly  opposite  the  door,  while  the  bo}-,  Majwara,  slept  just  with- 
in, to  attend  to  his  master's  wants  in  the  night. 

On  April  SOth,  1873,  Chitambo  came  early  to  pay  a  visit  of 
courte.sy,  and  was  shown  into  the  doctor's  presence;  but  he  was 
obliged  to  send  him  away,  telling  him  to  come  again  on  the  mor- 
row, when  he  hoped  to  have  more  strength  to  talk  to  him,  and 
he  was  not  again  disturbed.  In  the  afternoon  be  asked  Susi  to 
bring  his  watch  to  the  bedside,  and  explained  to  him  the  po.silion 
in  which  to  hold  his  hand,  that  it  might  lie  in  the  palm  while  he 
slowly  turned  the  key. 

So  the  hours  stole  on  till  night- fall.  The  men  silently  took 
to  their  huts,  while  others,  whose  duty  it  was  to  keep  watch,  .sat 
round  the  fires,  all  feeling  that  the  end  could  not  be  fur  off. 
About  11  P.M.,  Susi,  whoso  hut  was  close  by,  was  told  to  go  to 
his  master.  At  the  time  there  were  loud  .shouts  in  the  distance, 
and,  on  entering,  Dr.  Livingstone  said,  "Are  our  men  making 
that  noise?"  "No,"  replied  Susi;  "T  can  hear,  from  tiic  cries, 
that  the  people  are  scaring  away  a  buflalo  from  their  dura-ficlds." 


512 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


A  few  minutes  afterward  he  said  slowly,  and  evidently  wander- 
ing, "Is  this  the  Luapula?"  Susi  told  him  they  were  in  Ctiitam- 
bo's  village,  near  the  Molilamo,  when  he  was  silent  for  a  while. 
Again,  speaking  to  Susi,  in  Suaheli  this  time,  he  said,  "  Sikun'- 
gapi  kuenda  Luapula?"  (How  many  days  is  it  to  the  Luapula?) 

"  Na  zani  zikutatu,  Bwana  "  (I  think  it  is  three  days,  master), 
replied  Susi. 

A  few  seconds  after,  as  if  in  great  pain,  he  half  sighed,  half 
said,  "Oh  dear,  dear!"  and  then  dozed  oft' again. 

It  was  about  an  hour  later  that  Susi  heard  Majwara  again  out- 
side the  door,  "Bwana  wants  you,  Susi."  On  reaching  the  bed, 
the  doctor  told  him  he  wished  him  to  boil  some  water,  and  for 
this  purpose  he  went  to  the  fire  outside,  and  soon  returned  with 
the  copper  kettle  full.  Calling  him  close,  he  asked  him  to  bring 
his  medicine-chest,  and  to  hold  the  candle  near  him,  for  the  man 
noticed  he  could  hardly  see.  With  great  difficulty  Dr.  Living- 
stone selected  the  calomel,  which  he  told  him  to  place  by  his  side; 
then,  directing  him  to  pour  a  little  water  into  a  cup,  and  to  put 
another  empty  one  by  it,  he  said  in  a  low,  feeble  voice,  "All 
right ;  you  can  go  out  now."  These  were  the  last  words  he  was 
ever  heard  to  speak. 

It  must  have  been  about  4  A.M.  when  Susi  heard  Majwara's 
step  once  more.  "  Come  to  Bwana,  I  am  afraid  ;  I  don't  know 
if  he  is  alive."  The  lad's  evident  alarm  made  Susi  run  to  arouse 
Chuma,  Chowpere,  Matthew,  and  Muanuasere,  and  the  six  men 
went  immediately  to  the  hut. 

Passing  inside,  they  looked  toward  the  bed.  Dr.  Livingstone 
was  not  lying  on  it,  but  appeared  to  be  engaged  in  prayer,  and 
they  instinctively  drew  backward  for  the  instant.  Pointing  to 
him,  Majwara  said,  "  When  I  lay  down  he  was  just  as  he  is  now, 
and  it  is  because  I  find  that  he  does  not  move  that  I  fear  he  is 
dead."  They  asked  the  lad  how  long  he  had  slept?  Majwara 
said  he  could  not  tell,  but  he  was  sure  that  it  was  some  consider- 
able time  :  the  men  drew  nearer. 

A  candle,  stuck  by  its  own  wax  to  the  top  of  the  box,  shed  a 
light  sufficient  for  them  to  see  his  form.  Dr.  Livingstone  was 
kneeling  by  the  side  of  his  bed,  his  body  stretched  forward,  his 
head  buried  in  his  hands  upon  the  pillow.  For  a  minute  they 
watched  him:  he  did  not  stir,  there  was  no  sign  of  breathing; 
then  one  of  them,  Matthew,  advanced  softly  to  him  and  placed 
his  hands  to  his  cheeks.  It  was  sufficient;  life  had  been  extinct 
some  time,  and  the  body  was  almost  cold:  Livingstone  was  dead. 

His  sad-hearted  servants  raised  him  tenderly  up  and  laid  him 


SOME  WORDS  ly  EXPLAyATIOX. 


513 


full  length  on  the  bed ;  then,  carefully  covering  him,  they  went 
out  into  the  damp  night  air  to  consult  together.  It  was  not  long 
before  the  cocks  crew,  and  it  is  from  this  circumstance — coupled 
with  the  fact  that  Susi  spoke  to  him  some  time  shortly  before 
midnight — that  we  are  able  to  state  with  tolerable  certainty  that 
he  expired  early  on  the  1st  of  May. 

It  has  been  thought  best  to  give  the  narrative  of  these  closing 
hours  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  words  of  the  two  men  who 
attended  him  constantly,  both  here  and  in  the  many  illnesses  of 
like  character  which  he  endured  in  his  last  six  years'  wanderings: 
in  fact,  from  the  first  moment  of  the  news  arriving  in  England, 
it  was  felt  to  be  indispensable  that  they  should  come  home  to 
state  what  occurred. 

******** 

The  men  have  much  to  consider  as  they  cower  around  the 
watch-fire,  and  little  time  for  deliberation.  They  are  at  their  far- 
thest point  from  home,  and  their  leader  has  fallen  at  their  head ; 
we  shall  see  presently  how  they  faced  their  difficulties. 

******** 

Several  inquiries  will  naturally  arise,  on  reading  this  distressing 
history ;  the  foremost,  perhaps,  will  be  with  regard  to  the  entire 
absence  of  every  thing  like  a  parting  word  to  those  immediately 
about  him,  or  a  farewell  line  to  his  family  and  friends  at  home. 
It  must  be  very  evident  to  the  reader  that  Livingstone  enter- 
tained very  grave  forebodings  about  his  health  during  the  last 
two  years  of  his  life,  but  it  is  not  clear  that  he  realized  the  near 
approach  of  death  when  his  malady  suddenly  passed  into  a  more 
dangerous  stage. 

It  may  be  said,  "Why  did  he  not  take  some  precautions  or 
give  some  strict  injunctions  to  his  men  to  preserve  his  note-books 
and  maps  at  all  hazards,  in  the  event  of  his  decease?"  Did  not 
his  great  ruling  passion  suggest  some  such  precaution? 

Fair  questions,  but,  reader,  you  have  all — every  word  written, 
spoken,  or  implied. 

Is  there,  then,  no  explanation?  Yes;  we  tliink  past  experi- 
ence affords  it,  and  it  is  olTcred  to  you  by  one  who  remembers, 
moreover,  how  Livingstone  himself  used  to  point  out  to  him  in 
Africa  the  peculiar  features  of  dcatli  by  malarial  poisoning. 

In  full  recollection  of  eight  deaths  on  the  Zambesi  and  Sliire 
districts,  not  a  single  parting  word  or  direction  in  any  instance 
can  be  recalled.  Neitlier  hope  nor  courage  give  way  as  death 
approaches.  In  most  cases,  a  comato.sc  state  of  exhaustion  super- 
venes, which,  if  it  be  not  quickly  arrested  by  active  measures, 


514 


LIVINGSTONE'S  14ST  JOURNALS. 


passes  into  complete  insensibility:  tliis  is  almost  invariably  the 
closing  scene.  . 

In  Dr.  Livingstone's  case,  we  find  some  departure  from  the 
ordinary  symptoms.*  He,  as  we  have  seen  by  the  entry  of  the 
18th  of  A{)ril,  was  alive  to  the  conviction  that  malarial  poison  is 
the  basis  ot  every  disorder  in  Tropical  Africa,  and  he  did  not 
doubt  but  that  he  was  fully  under  its  influence  while  suffering 
so  severely.  As  we  have  said,  a  man  of  less  endurance  in  all 
probability  would  have  perished  in  the  first  week  of  the  terrible 
approach  to  the  Lake,  through  the  flooded  country  and  under 
the  continual  downpour  that  he  describes.  It  tried  every  con- 
stitution, saturated  every  man  with  fever-poison,  and  destroyed 
several,  as  we  shall  see  a  little  farther  on.  The  greater  vitality 
in  his  iron  system  very  likely  staved  off  for  a  few  days  the  last 
state  of  coma  to  which  we  refer;  but  there  is  quite  sufficient  to 
show  us  that  only  a  thin  margin  lay  between  the  heavy  drowsi- 
ness of  the  last  few  days  before  reaching  Chitambo's,  and  the 
final  and  usual  symptom  that  brings  on  unconsciousness  and  ina- 
bility to  speak. 

On  more  closely  questioning  the  men,  one  only  elicits  that 
they  imagine  he  hoped  to  recover  as  he  had  so  often  done  be- 
fore; and  if  this  really  was  the  case,  it  will  in  a  measure  account 
for  the  absence  of  any  thing  like  a  dying  statement;  but  still 
they  speak  again  and  again  of  his  di'owsiness,  which  in  itself 
would  take  away  all  ability  to  realize  vividly  the  seriousness  of 
the  situation.  It  may  be  that  at  the  last  a  flash  of  conviction  for 
a  moment  lighted  up  the  mind;  if  so,  what  greater  consolation 
can  those  have  who  mourn  his  loss,  than  the  account  that  the 
men  give  of  what  they  saw  when  they  entered  the  hut? 

Livingstone  had  not  merely  turned  himself,  he  had  risen  to 
pray  ;  he  still  rested  on  his  knees,  his  hands  were  clasped  under 
his  head :  when  they  approached  him,  he  seemed  to  live.  He 
had  not  fallen  to  right  or  left  when  he  rendered  up  his  spirit  to 
God.  Death  required  no  change  of  limb  or  position  ;  there  was 
merely  the  gentle  settling  forward  of  the  frame  unstrung  by  pain, 
for  the  Traveler's  perfect  rest  had  come.  Will  not  time  show 
that  the  men  were  scarcely  wrong  when  they  thought  "  he  yet 
speaketh  " — ay,  perhaps  far  more  clearl}^  to  us  than  he  could  have 
done  by  word,  or  pen,  or  any  other  means ! 

Is  it,  then,  presumptuous  to  think  that  the  long-used,  fervent 
prayer  of  the  wanderer  sped  forth  once  more — that  the  constant 


•  Tlie  (jrent  loss  of  lilood  iniu'  liave  had  a  hcniitig  on  ilic  case. 


EIS  TRAVELING  EQUIPMENTS. 


515 


supplication  became  more  perfect  in  weakness,  and  that  from  his 
"  loneliness  "  David  Livingstone,  with  a  dying  effort,  yet  again  be- 
sought Him  for  whom  he  labored  to  break  down  the  oppression 
and  woe  of  the  land. 

Before  daylight  the  men  were  quietly  told  in  each  hut  what 
had  happened,  and  that  they  were  to  assemble.  Coming  together 
as  soon  as  it  was  lio;ht  enouo'h  to  see,  Susi  and  Chuma  said  that 
they  wished  every  body  to  be  present  while  the  boxes  were  open- 
ed, so  that,  in  case  money  or  valuables  were  in  them,  all  might 
be  responsible.  Jacob  Wainwright  (who  could  write,  they  knew) 
was  asked  to  make  some  notes  which  should  serve  as  an  inven- 
tory, and  then  the  boxes  were  brought  out  from  the  hut. 

Before  he  left  England  in  1865,  Dr.  Livingstone  arranged  that 
his  traveling  equipment  should  be  as  compact  as  possible.  An 
old  friend  gave  him  some  exceedingly  well-made  tin  boxes,  two 
of  which  lasted  out  the  whole  of  his  travels.  In  these  his  papers 
and  instruments  were  safe  from  wet  and  from  white  ants,  which 
have  to  be  guarded  against  more  than  any  thing  else.  Besides 
the  articles  mentioned  below,  a  number  of  letters  and  dispatches 
in  various  stages  were  likewise  inclosed,  and  one  can  never  suf- 
ficiently extol  the  good  feeling  which  after  his  death  invested  all 
these  writings  with  something  like  a  sacred  care  in  the  estimation 
of  his  men.  It  was  the  doctor's  custom  to  carry  a  small  metallic 
note-book  in  his  pocket:  a  quantity  of  these  have  come  to  hand, 
filled  fi'om  end  to  end ;  and  as  the  men  preserved  every  one  that 
they  found,  we  have  almost  a  daily  entry  to  fall  back  upon.  Nor 
was  less  care  shown  for  his  rifles,  sextants,  his  Bible  and  Church- 
service,  and  the  medicine-chest. 

Jacob's  entry  is  as  follows,  and  it  was  thoughtfully  made  at  the 
back  end  of  the  same  note-book  that  was  in  use  by  the  doctor 
when  he  died.    It  runs  as  follows: 

"  11  o'clock  night,  28tli  April. 

"  III  the  chest  was  found  about  a  shilling  and  a  half,  and  in 
other  chest  his  hat,  1  watch,  and  2  small  boxes  of  measuring  in- 
strument, and  in  each  box  there  was  one.  1  compass,  3  other 
kind  of  measuring  instrument.  4  other  kind  of  measuring  in- 
strument.  And  in  other  clicst  3  drachmas  and  half  half  scroplc." 

A  word  is  neces.sary  concerning  tlic  first  part  of  thi--^.  It  will 
be  observed  that  Dr.  Livingstone  made  liis  last  note  on  the  27th 
of  April.  Jacob,  referring  to  it  as  the  only,  indication  of  the  day 
of  the  month,  and  fancying,  moreover,  that  it  was  written  on  the 


516 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


iveceding  day,  wrote  down  "  28th  April."  Had  he  observed  that 
the  few  words  opposite  the  27th  in  the  pocket-booli  related  to  the 
stay  at  Kalunganjovu's  village,  and  not  to  any  portion  of  the 
time  at  Chitambo's,  the  error  would  have  been  avoided.  Again, 
with  respect  to  the  time.  It  was  about  11  o'clock  P.M.  when  Susi 
last  saw  his  master  alive,  and  therefore  this  time  is  noted ;  but 
both  he  and  Chuma  feel  quite  sure,  from  what  Majwara  said,  that 
death  did  not  take  place  till  some  hours  after. 

It  was  not  without  some  alarm  that  the  men  realized  their 
more  immediate  difficulties:  none  could  see  better  than  they 
what  complications  might  arise  in  an  hour. 

They  knew  the  superstitious  horror  connected  with  the  dead 
to  be  prevalent  in  the  tribes  around  them,  for  the  departed  spirits 
of  men  are  universally  believed  to  have  vengeance  and  mischief 
at  heart  as  their  ruling  idea  in  the  land  beyond  the  grave.  All 
rites  turn  on  this  belief  The  religion  of  the  African  is  a  wearv 
attempt  to  propitiate  those  who  show  themselves  to  be  still  able 
to  haunt  and  destroy,  as  war  comes  or  an  accident  happens. 

On  this  account  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  chief  and  peo- 
ple make  common  cause  against  those  who  wander  through  their 
territory,  and  have  the  misfortune  to  lose  one  of  their  party  by 
death.  Who  is  to  tell  the  consequences?  Such  occurrences  are 
looked  on  as  most  serious  offenses,  and  the  men  regarded  their 
position  with  no  small  apprehension. 

Calling  the  whole  party  together,  Susi  and  Chuma  placed  the 
state  of  affiiirs  before  them,  and  asked  what  should  be  done. 
They  received  a  repl}^  from  those  whom  Mr.  Stanley  had  engaged 
for  Dr.  Livingstone,  which  was  hearty  and  unanimous.  "You," 
said  they,  "are  old  men  in  traveling  and  in  hardships;  you  must 
act  as  our  chiefs,  and  we  will  promise  to  obey  whatever  you  or- 
der us  to  .  do."  From  this  moment  we  may  look  on  Susi  and 
Chuma  as  the  captains  of  the  caravan.  To  their  knowledge  of 
the  country,  of  the  tribes  through  which  they  were  to  pass,  but. 
above  all,  to  the  sense  of  discipline  and  cohesion  which  was  main- 
tained throughout,  their  safe  return  to  Zanzibar  at  the  head  of 
their  men  must,  under  God's  good  guidance,  be  mainly  attributed. 

All  agreed  that  Chitambo  ought  to  be  kept  in  ignorance  of 
Dr.  Livingstone's  decease,  or  otherwise  a  fine  so  heavy  would  bo 
inflicted  upon  them  as  compensation  for  damage  done  that  their 
means  would  be  crippled,  and  they  could  hardly  expect  to  pay 
their  way  to  the  coast.  It  was  decided  that,  come  what  might, 
the  body  must  he  borne  to  Zanzibar.  It  was  also  arranged  to  take 
it  secretly,  if  po.ssible,  to  a  hut  at  some  distance  off,  where  the 


CHITAMBO  MOUBXS  FOB  HIS  FBIEXD. 


517 


necessary  preparations  could  be  carried  out,  and  for  this  purpose 
some  men  were  now  dispatched  with  axes  to  cut  wood,  while  oth- 
ers went  to  collect  grass.  Chuma  set  off  to  see  Chitambo,  and 
said  that  they  wanted  to  build  a  place  outside  the  village,  if  he 
would  allow  it,  for  they  did  not  like  living  among  the  huts.  Ilis 
consent  was  willingly  given. 

Later  on  in  the  day  two  of  the  men  went  to  the  people  to  buv 
food,  and  divulged  the  secret:  the  chief  was  at  once  informed  of 
what  had  happened,  and  started  for  the  spot  on  which  the  new 
buildings  were  being  set  up.  Appealing  to  Chuma,  he  said, 
"Wh}'  did  you  not  tell  me  the  truth?  I  know  that,  your  mas- 
ter died  last  night.  You  were  afraid  to  let  me  know,  but  do  not 
fear  any  longer.  I,  too,  have  traveled,  and  more  than  once  have 
been  to  Bwani  (the  coast),  before  the  country  on  the  road  was  de- 
stroyed by  the  !Mazitu.  I  know  that  you  have  no  bad  motives 
in  coming  to  our  land,  and  death  often  happens  to  travelers  in 
their  journeys."  Ke-assured  by  this  speech,  they  told  him  of 
their  intention  to  prepare  the  bod}',  and  to  take  it  with  them. 
He,  however,  said  it  would  be  far  better  to  bury  it  there,  for 
they  were  undertaking  an  impossible  task ;  but  they  held  to 
their  resolution.  The  corpse  was  conveyed  to  the  new  hut  the 
same  day  on  the  kitanda,  carefully  covered  with  cloth  and  a 
blanket. 

May  2d,  1873. — The  next  morning  Susi  paid  a  visit  to  Chitam- 
bo, making  him  a  handsome  present,  and  receiving  in  return,  a 
kind  welcome.  It  is  only  right  to  add  that  the  men  speak  on  all 
occasions  with  gratitude  of  Chitambo's  conduct  throughout,  and 
say  that  he  is  a  fine,  generous  fellow.  Following  out  his  sugges- 
tion, it  was  agreed  that  all  honors  should  be  shown  to  the  dead, 
and  the  customary  mourning  was  arranged  forthwith. 

At  the  proper  time,  Chitambo,  leading  his  people,  and  accom- 
panied by  his  wives,  came  to  the  new  settlement.  lie  was  clad 
in  a  broad  red  cloth,  which  covered  the  shoulders,  while  the 
wrapping  of  native  cotton  cloth,  worn  round  the  waist,  foil  as 
low  as  his  ankles.  All  carried  bows,  arrows,  and  spears,  but  no 
iruns  were  seen.  Two  drummers  joined  in  the  loud  wailing  1am- 
cntf^.tion,  which  so  indelibly  impresses  itself  on  the  memories  of 
people  who  have  heard  it  in  the  East,  while  the  band  of  serv- 
ants fired  volley  after  volley  in  the  air,  according  to  the  strict 
rule  of  Portuguese  and  AraV)S  on  such  occasion.s. 

As  yet,  nothing  had  been  done  to  the  corp.sc. 

A  separate  hut  was  now  built,  about  ninety  feet  from  the  prin- 
cipal one.    It  was  constructed  in  such  a  manner  that  it  sliould 


518 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


be  open  to  the  air  at  the  top,  and  sufficiently  strong  to  defy  the 
attempts  of  any  wild  beast  to  break  through  it.  Firmly  driven 
boughs  and  saplings  were  planted  side  by  side  and  bound  togeth- 
er, so  as  to  make  a  regular  stockade.  Close  to  this  building  the 
men  constructed  their  huts,  and,  finally,  the  whole  settlement  had 
another  high  stockade  carried  completely  around  it. 

Arrangements  were  made  the  same  day  to  treat  the  corpse  on 
the  following  morning.  One  of  the  men,  Saf^ne,  while  in  Ka- 
lunganjovu's  district,  bought  a  large  quantity  of  salt:  this  was 
purchased  of  him  for  sixteen  strings  of  beads ;  there  was,  besides, 
some  brandy  in  the  doctor's  stores,  and  with  these  few  materials 
they  hoped  to  succeed  in  their  object. 

Farijala  was  appointed  to  the  necessary  task.  He  had  picked 
up  some  knowledge  of  the  method  pursued  in  nvAuw^  post-mortem 
examinations  while  a  servant  to  a  doctor  at  Zanzibar,  and  at  his 
request  Carras,  one  of  the  Nassick  bo^^s,  was  told  off  to  assist  him. 
Previous  to  this,  however,  early  on  May  3d,  a  special  mourner  ar- 
rived. He  came  with  the  anklets  which  are  worn  on  these  occa- 
sions, composed  of  rows  of  hollow  seed-vessels  filled  with  rattling 
pebbles,  and  in  low,  monotonous  chant  sang,  while  he  danced,  as 
follows : 

"  Lt'Io  kwa  Engerese, 
Miuiiiii  sisi  oa  konda  : 
Til  kamb'  taiub'  Engerese;" 

which,  translated,  is, 

"To-day  the  Englishman  is  dead, 
Who  has  different  hair  from  ours  : 
Come  round  to  see  the  Englishman." 

His  task  over,  the  mourner  and  his  son,  who  accompanied  him 
in  the  ceremony,  retired  with  a  suitable  present  of  beads. 

The  emaciated  remains  of  the  deceased  traveler  were  soon  af- 
terv/ard  taken  to  the  place  prepared.  Over  the  heads  of  Farijala 
and  Carras,  Susi,  Chuma,  and  Muanuaserd  held  a  thick  blanket  as 
a  kind  of  screen,  under  which  the  men  performed  their  duties. 
Tofikc  and  John  Wainwriglit  were  present.  Jacob  Wainwriglit 
had  been  asked  to  bring  his  Pra3'er  -  book  __witli  him,  and  stood 
apart  against  the  wall  of  the  inclosure. 

In  reading  about  the  lingering  sufferings  of  Dr.  Livingstone 
as  described  by  himself,  and  subsequently  b}'  these  faithful  fel- 
lows, one  is  quite  prepared  to  understand  their  explanation,  and 
to  see  why  it  was  possible  to  defer  these  operations  so  long  after 
death:  they  .say  that  his  frame  was  little  more  than  skin  and 
bone.    Tlirougli  an  incision  carefully  made,  the  viscera  were  re- 


PBEPAEATION  OF  TRE  CORPSE. 


519 


moved,  and  a  quantity  of  salt  was  placed  in  the  trunk.  All  no- 
ticed one  very  significant  circumstance  in  the  autopsy.  A  clot 
of  coagulated  blood,  as  large  as  a  man's  hand,  lay  in  the  left 
side,*  while  Farijala  pointed  to  the  state  of  the  lungs,  which  they 
described  as  dried  up,  and  covered  with  black-and-white  patches. 

The  heart,  with  the  other  parts  removed,  were  placed  in  a  tin 
box,  which  had  formerly  contained  flour,  and  decently  and  rever- 
ently buried  in  a  hole  dug  some  four  feet  deep  on  the  spot  where 
they  stood.  Jacob  was  then  asked  to  read  the  Burial  Service, 
which  he  did  in  the  presence  of  all.  The  body  was  left  to  be 
fully  exposed  to  the  sun.  Ko  other  means  were  taken  to  preserve 
it,  beyond  placing  some  brandy  in  the  mouth  and  some  on  the 
hair;  nor  can  one  imagine  for  an  instant  that  any  other  process 
would  have  been  available  either  for  Europeans  or  natives,  con- 
sidering the  rude  appliances  at  their  disposal.  The  men  kept 
watch  day  and  night  to  see  that  no  harm  came  to  their  sacred 
charge.  Their  huts  surrounded  the  building,  and,  had  force  been 
used  to  enter  its  strongly -barred  door,  the  whole  camp  would 
have  turned  out  in  a  moment.  Once  a  day  the  position  of  the 
body  was  changed,  but  at  no  other  time  was  any  one  allowed  to 
approach  it. 

No  molestation  of  any  kind  took  place  during  the  fourteen 
days'  exposure.  At  the  end  of  this  period  preparations  were 
made  for  retracing  their  steps.  The  corpse,  by  this  time  tolera- 
bly dried,  was  wrapped  round  in  some  calico,  the  legs  being  bent 
inward  at  the  knees  to  shorten  the  package.  The  next  thing 
was  to  plan  something  in  which  to  carry  it,  and,  in  the  absence 
of  planking  or  tools,  an  admirable  substitute  was  found  by  strip- 
ping from  a  myonga-tree  enough  of  the  bark  in  one  piece  to 
form  a  cylinder,  and  in  it  their  master  was  laid.  Over  this  case 
a  piece  of  sail-cloth  was  sewn,  and  the  whole  package  was  lashed 
securely  to  a  pole,  .so  as  to  be  carried  by  two  men. 

Jacob  Wainwright  was  asked  to  carve  an  inscription  on  the 
large  mvula-tree  which  stands  by  the  place  where  the  body  rest- 
ed, stating  the  name  of  Dr.  Livingstone  and  the  date  of  his  death; 
and,  before  leaving,  the  men  gave  strict  injunctions  to  Chitainbo 
to  keep  the  grass  cleared  away,  so  as  to  save  it  from  the  bush- 
fires  which  annually  sweep  over  the  country  and  destroy  so  many 
trees.  Besides  this,  they  erected  close  to  the  spot  two  high,  thick 
posts,  wifli  an  equally  strong  cro.ss-piece,  like  a  lintel  and  door- 

•  It  lins  been  siiRKestcd  by  one  who  nftonded  Dr.  LiviiiRsfono  pinfcxsinnnlly  in  wv. 
enil  dangerous  illnesses  in  AtVica,  tlial  ilic  uliinuilc  cause  ol'dculli  wasaciiio  sjilenili!". 
— liu. 


520 


LiriNGSTOJSfE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


posts  in  form,  which  they  painted  thoroughly  with  the  tar  that 
was  intended  for  the  boat:  this  sign  they  think  will  remain  for 
a  long  time,  from  the  solidity  of  the  timber.  Before  parting  with 
Chitambo,  they  gave  him  a  large  tin  biscuit-box  and  some  news- 
papers, which  would  serve  as  evidence  to  all  future  travelers  that 
a  white  man  had  been  at  his  village. 

The  chief  promised  to  do  all  he  could  to  keep  both  the  tree 
and  the  timber  sign-posts  from  being  touched,  but  added  that  he 
hoped  the  English  would  not  be  long  in  coming  to  see  him,  be- 
cause there  was  always  the  risk  of  an  invasion  of  Mazitu,  when 
he  would  have  to  fly,  and  the  tree  might  be  cut  down  for  a  canoe 
by  some  one,  and  then  all  trace  would  be  lost.  All  was  now 
ready  for  starting. 


THE  HOMEWARD  MARCH. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Tliey  begin  the  homeward  Maicli  from  Ilala. — Illness  of  all  the  Men. — Deaths. — 
Muanamaziingii. — The  Liiajjula. — The  Donkey  killed  by  a  Lion. — A  Disaster  at 
N'kossu"s. — Native  Surgery. — Api)rouch  Chawendes  Town. — Inhospitable  llecep- 
tion. — An  Encounter. — They  take  the  Town.— Leave  Ciuiwende's. — Keach  Clii- 
waie's. — Strike  the  old  Road. — Wire-drawing. — Arrive  at  Kumba-kumba's. — John 
Wainwright  disappears. — Unsuccessful  Search. — Reach  Tanganyika. — Leave  the 
Lake. — Cross  the  Lanibalanifipa  Range. — Immense  Herds  of  Game. — News  of 
East-Coast  Search  Expedition. — Confirmation  of  News. — They  reach  Baula. — 
Avant-couriers  sent  forward  to  Unyaiiyembc. — Cliuma  meets  Lieutenant  Cameron. 
— Start  for  the  Coast. — Sad  Death  of  Dr.  Dillon. — Clever  Precautions. — The  Body 
is  effectually  concealed. — Girl  killed  by  a  Snake. — Arrival  on  the  Coast. — Conclud- 
ing Remarks. 

The  homeward  march  was  then  begun.  Throughout  its 
length  we  shall  content  ourselves  with  giving  the  approximate 
number  of  days  occupied  in  traveling  and  halting.  Althougli 
the  memories  of  both  men  are  excellent — standing  the  severest 
test  when  they  are  tried  by  the  light  of  Dr.  Livingstone's  jour- 
nals, or  "set  on"  at  any  passage  of  his  travels — they  kept  no  pre- 
cise record  of  the  time  spent  at  villages  where  they  were  detain- 
ed by  sickness,  and  so  the  exactness  of  a  diary  can  no  longer  be 
sustained. 

To  return  to  the  caravan.  Tliey. found  on  this,  the  first  day's 
journey,  that  some  other  precautions  were  necessary  to  enable 
the  bearers  of  the  mournful  burden  to  keep  to  their  task.  Send- 
ing to  Chitambo's  village,  they  brought  thence  the  cask  of  tar 
which  they  had  deposited  with  the  chief,  and  gave  a  thick  coat- 
ing to  the  canvas  outside.  This  answered  all  purpo.ses;  tlioy 
left  the  remainder  at  the  next  village,  with  orders  to  send  it  back 
to  head-quarters,  and  then  continued  their  course  through  Ihila, 
led  by  their  guides  in  the  direction  of  the  Luapula. 

A  moment's  inspection  of  the  map  will  cx|)lain  the  line  of 
country  to  be  traversed.  Susi  and  Cliuma  had  traveled  with  Dr. 
Livingstone  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  north-west  shores  of 
Bangwcolo  in  previous  years.  The  last  fatal  road  from  the  north 
might  be  struck  by  a  march  in  a  due  north-ciist  direction,  if  tliey 
could  but  hold  out  so  far  without  any  serious  misfortune;  but,  in 
order  to  do  thi.s,  they  must  first  strike  northward  .so  as  to  reach 
the  Luapula,  and  then  crossing  it  at  some  part  not  necessarily  far 

86 


622 


LiriXGSIOXE'S  LAST  JOUIiXALS. 


from  its  exit  from  the  Lake,  they  could  at  once  lay  their  course 
for  the  south  end  of  Tanganyika. 

There  were,  however,  serious  indications  among  them.  First 
one  and  then  the  other  dropped  out  of  the  file,  and  by  the  time 
they  reached  a  town  belonging  to  Chitambo's  brother — and  on 
the  third  day  only  since  they  set  out— half  their  number  were 
hors  de  combat.  It  was  impossible  to  go  on.  A  few  hours  more, 
and  all  seemed  affected.  The  symptoms  were  intense  pain  in  the 
limbs  and  face,  great  prostration,  and,  in  the  bad  cases,  inability 
to  move.  The  men  attributed  it  to  the  continual  wading  through 
water  before  the  doctor's,  death.  They  think  that  illness  had 
been  waiting  for  some  further  slight  provocation,  and  that  the 
previous  days'  tramp,  which  was  almost  entirely  through  plash  \ 
bougas,  or  swamps,  turned  the  scale  against  them. 

Susi  was  suffering  very  much.  The  disease  settled  in  one  leg, 
and  then  quickly  shifted  to  the  other.  Songolo  nearly  died. 
Kaniki  and  Bahati,  two  of  the  women,  expired  in  a  few  days, 
and  all  looked  at  its  worst.  It  took  them  a  good  month  to  rally 
sufficiently  to  resume  their  journey. 

Fortunately,  in  this  interval,  the  rains  entirely  ceased,  and  the 
natives  day  by  day  brought  an  abundance  of  food  to  the  sick 
men.  From  them  they  heard  that  the  districts  they  were  now 
in  were  notoriously  unhealthy,  and  that  many  an  Arab  had  fall- 
en out  from  the  caravan  march,  to  leave  his  bones  in  these  wastes. 
One  day  five  of  the  party  made  an  excursion  to  the  westward, 
and  on  their  return  reix>rted  a  large  deep  river  flowing  into  the 
Luapula  on  the  left  bank.  Unfortunately  no  notice  was  taken 
of  its  name,  for  it  would  be  of  considerable  geographical  interest. 

At  last  they  were  ready  to  start  again,  and  came  to  one  of  the 
border  villages  in  Ilala  the  same  night;  but  the  next  day  several 
fell  ill  for  the  second  time,  Susi  being  quite  unable  to  move. 

iMuanamazungu,  at  whose  place  these  relapses  occurred,  was 
fully  aware  of  every  thing  that  had  taken  place  at  Chitambo's, 
and  showed  the  men  the  greatest  kindness.  Not  a  day  passed 
without  his  bringing  them  some  present  or  other,  but  there  was  a 
great  disinclination  among  the  people  to  listen  to  any  details  con- 
nected with  Dr.  Livingstone's  death.  Some  return  for  their  kind- 
ness was  made  by  Farijala  shooting  three  buffaloes  near  the 
town :  meat  and  good-will  go  together  all  over  Africa,  and  tlic 
liberal  sportsman  scores  points  at  many  a  turn.  A  cow  was 
purchased  here  for  some  brass  bracelets  and  calico,  and  on  the 
twentieth  day  all  were  sufficiently  strong  on  their  legs  to  push 
forward. 


THE  BONKEY  KILLED  BY  A  LION. 


523 


The  broad  waters  of  the  long-looked  for  Luapula  soon  hove  in 
sight.  Putting  themselves  under  a  guide,  they  were  conducted 
to  the  village  of  Chisalamalama,  who  willingly  offered  them  ca- 
noes for  the  passage  across  the  next  day.* 

As  one  listens  to  the  report  that  the  men  give  of  this  mighty 
river,  he  instinctively  bends  his  eyes  on  a  dark  burden  laid  in 
the  canoe!  How  ardently  would  he  have  scanned  it  whose  body 
thus  passes  across  tliese  waters,  and  whose  spirit,  in  its  last  hours' 
sojourn  in  this  world,  wandered  in  thought  and  imagination  to  its 
stream ! 

It  would  seem  that  the  Luapula  at  this  point  is  double  the 
width  of  the  Zambesi  at  Shupanga.  This  gives  a  breadth  of 
fully  four  miles,  A  man  could  not  be  seen  on  the  opposite 
bank:  trees  looked  small:  a  gun  could  be  heard,  but  no  shout- 
ing would  ever  reach  a  person  across  the  river — such  is  the  de- 
scription given  by  those  who  were  well  able  to  compare  the  Lu- 
apula with  the  Zambesi.  Taking  to  the  canoes,  they  were  able 
to  use  the  "  m'phondo,"  or  punting-pole,  for  a  distance  througli 
reeds,  then  came  clear,  deep  water  for  some  four  hundred  yards, 
again  a  broad,  reedy  expanse,  followed  by  another  deep  part, 
succeeded  in  turn  by  another  current  not  so  broad  as  those  pre- 
viously paddled  across,  and  then,  as  on  the  starting  side,  gradu- 
ally shoaling  water,  abounding  in  reeds.  Two  ishuids  lay  just 
above  the  crossing- place.  Using  pole  and  paddle  alternately, 
the  passage  took  them  fully  two  hours  across  this  enormous  tor- 
rent, which  carries  olF  the  waters  of  Bangweolo  toward  the  north. 

A  sad  mishap  befell  the  donkey  the  first  night  of  camping  be- 
yond the  Luapula,  and  this  faithful  and  sorely-tried  servant  was 
doomed  to  end  his  career  at  this  spot ! 

According  to  custom,  a  special  stable  was  built  for  him  close 
to  the  men.  In  the  middle  of  the  night  a  great  disturbance, 
coupled  with  the  shouting  of  Amoda,  aroused  the  camp.  The 
men  rushed  out,  and  found  the  stable  broken  down,  and  the  don- 
key, gone.  Snatching  some  logs,  they  set  fire  to  the  gra.'^.^  as  it 
was  pitch  dark,  and  by  the  light  saw  a  lion  close  to  tlie  body  of 
the  poor  animal,  which  was  quite  dead.  Those  who  had  caught 
up  their  guns  on  the  fir.st  alarm  fired  a  volley,  and  the  lion  made 
off.  It  was  evident  that  the  donkey  had  been  seized  by  tlie  nose, 
and  instantly  killed.    At  daylight  the  spoor  showed  that  the 

•  The  men  consider  it  five  dnys'  iimn  li  "  only  cnrrvinR  n  ruii  "  fimn  the  Molilnmo 
to  tlie  blink  of  tlie  Lniipuln— tliis  in  nn\v.\\  icckoninK,  nt  the  riito  of  niilivc  iriivclinn, 
would  give  a  distance  of  say  one  liinidrod  and  twenty  lo  one  hundred  mid  fifty  miles. 
— Eu. 


524 


LIVIXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOUEXJLS. 


An  old  Sei'vaut  destroyed. 

guns  had  taken  effect.  The  lion's  blood  lay  in  a  broad  track 
(for  he  was  apparently  injured  in  the  back,  and  could  only  drag 
himself  along) ;  but  the  foot-prints  of  a  second  lion  were  too  plain 
to  make  it  advisable  to  track  him  far  in  the  thick  cover  he  had 
reached,  and  so  the  search  was  abandoned.  The  body  of  the 
donkey  was  left  behind  ;  but  two  canoes  remained  near  the  vil- 
lage, and  it  is  most  probable  that  it  went  to  make  a  feast  at  Chi- 
salamalaraa's. 

Traveling  through  incessant  swamp  and  water,  they  were  fain 
to  make  their  next  stopping-place  in  a  spot  where  an  enormous 
ant-hill  spread  itself  out — a  small  island  in  the  waters.  A  fire 
was  lighted,  and  by  employing  hoes,  most  of  them  dug  some- 
thing like  a  form  to  sleep  in  on  the  hard  earth. 

Thankful  to  leave  such  a  place,  their  guide  led  them  next  day 
to  the  village  of  Kawinga,  whom  they  describe  as  a  tall  man,  of 
singularly  light  color,  and  the  owner  of  a  gun,  a  unique  weapon 
in  these  parts,  but  one  already  made  useless  by  wear  and  tear. 
The  next  village,  N'kossu's,  was  mucli  more  important.  The 
people,  called  Kawende,  formerly  owned  plenty  of  cattle,  but 
now  they  are  reduced:  the  Banyamwczi  have  put  tliem  under 


A  DISASTER.— NATIVE  SURGERY. 


525 


the  harrow,  and  but  few  herds  remain.  "We  may  call  attention 
to  the  somewhat  singular  fact  that  the  hump  quite  disappears  in 
the  Lake  breed :  the  cows  would  pass  for  respectable  short-horns.* 

A  present  was  made  to  the  caravan  of  a  cow ;  but  it  seems 
that  the  rule,  "First  catch  your  hare,"  is  in  full  force  in  N'kossu's 
pastures.  The  animals  are  exceedingly  wild,  and  a  hunt  has  to 
be  set  on  foot  whenever  beef  is  wanted;  it  was  so  in  this  case. 
Safene  and  Muanuasere,  with  their  guns,  essayed  to  settle  the 
difficulty.  The  latter,  an  old  hunter  as  we  have  seen,  was  not 
likely  to  do  much  harm ;  but  Safene,  firing  wildly  at  the  cow,  hit 
one  of  the  villagers,  and  smashed  the  bone  of  the  poor  fellow's 
thigh.  Although  it  was  clearly  an  accident,  such  tilings  do  not 
readily  settle  themselves  down  on  this  assumption  in  Africa. 
The  chief,  however,  behaved  very  well.  He  told  them  a  fine 
would  have  to  be  paid  on  the  return  of  the  wounded  man's  fa- 
ther, and  it  had  better  be  handed  to  him,  for  by  law  the  blame 
would  fall  on  him,  as  the  entertainer  of  the  man  who  had  brought 
about  the  injur}'.  Uc  admitted  that  he  had  ordered  all  his  peo- 
ple to  stand  clear  of  the  spot  where  the  disaster  occurred,  but 
he  supposed  that  in  this  instance  his  orders  had  not  been  heard. 
They  had  not  sufficient  goods  in  any  case  to  respond  to  the  de- 
mand. The  process  adopted  to  set  the  broken  limb  is  a  sample 
of  native  surgery  which  must  not  be  passed  over. 

First  of  all,  a  hole  was  dug,  say  two  feet  deep  and  four  in 
length,  in  such  a  manner  that  the  patient  could  sit  in  it  witii  his 
legs  out  before  him.  A  large  leaf  was  then  bound  round  the 
fractured  thigh,  and  earth  thrown  in,  so  that  the  patient  was  bur- 
ied up  to  the  chest.  The  next  act  was  to  cover  the  earth  which 
lay  over  the  man's  legs  with  a  thick  layer  of  mud:  then  plenty 
of  sticks  and  grass  were  collected,  and  a  fire  lighted  on  the  top  di- 
rectly over  the  fracture.  To  prevent  the  smoke  smothering  the 
suffijrer,  they  held  a  tall  mat  as  a  screen  before  his  face,  and  the 
operation  went  on.  After  some  time  the  heat  reached  the  limbs 
under-ground.  Bellowing  with  fear,  and  covereil  with  perspi- 
ration, the  man  implored  them  to  let  him  out.  The  authorities 
concluding  that  he  had  been  under  treatment  a  sufficient  time, 
quickly  burrowed  down  and  lifted  him  from  the  hole.  Uc  was 
now  held  perfectly  fast,  while  two  strong  men  stretched  ^le 
wounded  limb  with  all  their  might!  Splints  duly  prepared  were 
afterward  bound  round  it,  and  we  must  hope  that  in  duo  lime 

•  This  comparison  wns  got  nt  from  the  rcmnrkd  mnde  hr  Susi  nnd  rhiimn  at  tm 
ngriniltiirnl  sliow  ;  llicy  ])(>intc<l  out  the  rosciiiWiinoo  l)orno  hy  llie  «hort-hornK  nnd 
by  the  Alilorney  bulls  to  scvenil  breeds  nenr  Luke  Heinbn.  l".i>. 


626 


LiriXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURXALS. 


Kawendi'  Surgery. 

benefit  accrued  ;  but  as  the  ball  had  passed  through  the  limb,  we 
must  have  our  doubts  on  the  subject.  The  villagers  told  Chuma 
that  after  the  Banyamwezi  engagements  they  constantly  treated 
bad  gunshot-wounds  in  this  way  with  perfect  success. 

Leaving  N'kossu's,  they  rested  one  night  at  another  village  be- 
longing to  him,  and  then  made  for  the  territory  of  the  Wa  Ussi. 
Here  they  met  with  a  surly  welcome,  and  w^ere  told  they  must 
pass  on.  No  doubt  the  intelligence  that  they  were  carrying  their 
master's  body  had  a  great  deal  to  do  with  it,  for  the  news  seem- 
ed to  spread  with  the  greatest  rapidity  in  all  directions.  Three 
times  they  camped  in  the  forest,  and,  for  a  wonder,  began  to  find 
some  dry  ground.  The  path  lay  in  the  direct  line  of  Chawende's 
town,  parallel  to  the  north  shore  of  the  Lake,  and  at  no  great 
distance  from  it. 

Some  time  previously  a  solitary  Unyamwesi  liad  attached  him- 
self to  the  party  at  Chitankooi's,  where  he  had  been  left  sick  by  a 
passing  caravan  of  traders  :  this  man  now  assured  them  the  coun- 
try before  them  was  well  known  to  him. 

Approaching  Chawend<)'s,  according  to  native  etiquette,  Amoda 
and  Sabouri  went  on  in  front  to  inform  the  chief,  and  to  ask  leave 


AX  EXCOVNTER. 


527 


to  enter  his  town.  As  they  did  not  come  back,  Muanuaser^  and 
Chuma  set  off  after  them,  to  ascertain  the  reason  of  the  delay. 
No  better  success  seemed  to  attend  this  second  venture ;  so,  shoul- 
dering their  burdens,  all  went  forward  in  the  track  of  the  lour 
messengers. 

In  the  mean  time  Chuma  and  Muanuasere  met  Amoda  and  Sa- 
bouri  coming  back  toward  them  with  five  men.  They  reported 
that  they  had  entered  the  town,  but  found  it  a  very  large  stock- 
aded place;  moreover,  two  other  villages  of  equal  size  were  close 
to  it.  Much  pombe- drinking  was  going  on.  On  approaching 
the  chief,  Am.oda  had  rested  his  gun  against  the  principal  hut  in- 
nocently enough.  Chawendc's  son,  drunk  and  quarrelsome,  made 
this  a  cause  of  offense,  and  swaggering  up,  he  insolently  asked 
ihem  how  they  dared  to  do  such  a  thing.  Chawende  interfered, 
and  for  the  moment  prevented  further  disagreeables;  in  fact,  he 
himself  seems  to  have  been  inclined  to  grant  the  favor  which  was 
asked :  however,  there  was  danger  brewing,  and  the  men  retired. 

When  the  main  body  met  them  returning,  tired  with  their 
fruitless  errand,  a  consultation  took  place.  Wood  there  was 
none.  To  scatter  about  and  find  materials  with  which  to  build 
shelter  for  the  night  would  only  offer  a  great  temptation  to  these 
drunken,  excited  people  to  plunder  -the  baggage.  It  was  re- 
solved to  make  for  the  town. 

When  they  reached  the  gate  of  the  stockade  they  were  flatly 
refused  admittance,  those  inside  telling  them  to  go  down  to  the 
river  and  camp  on  the  bank.  They  replied  that  this  was  impos- 
sible :  that  they  were  tired,  it  was  very  late,  and  nothing  could 
be  found  there  to  give  them  shelter.  Meeting  with  no  different 
answer,  Safcnd  said,  "Why  stand  talking  to  them?  let  us  get 
in  somehow  or  other ;"  and,  suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  they 
pushed  the  men  back  who  stood  in  the  gate-way.  Safdne  got 
through,  and  ^luanuaserc  climbed  over  the  top  of  the  stockade, 
followed  by  Chuma,  who  instantly  opened  the  gate  wide  and'let 
his  companions  through.  Ilostilitios  might  still  have  been  avert- 
ed had  better  counsel  prevailed. 

The  men  began  to  look  about  for  huts  in  which  to  deposit  their 
things,  when  the  same  drunken  fellow  drew  a  bow  and  fired  at 
Muanuaserd.  The  man  called  out  to  the  others  to  seize  him, 
which  was  done  in  an  instant.  A  loud  cry  now  burst  forth  that 
the  chief's  son  was  in  danger,  and  one  of  the  people  hurling  a 
spear,  wounded  Sabouri  slightly  in  the  thigli :  this  was  the  signal 
for  a  general  scrimmage. 

Chawendc's  men  fled  from  the  town ;  the  drums  beat  the  as- 


528 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


sembly  in  all  directions,  and  an  immense  number  flocked  to  the 
spot  from  the  two  neighboring  villages,  armed  with  their  bows, 
arrows,  and  spears.  An  assault  instantly  began  from  the  outside. 
N'chise  was  shot  with  an  arrow  in  the  shoulder  through  the  pal- 
isade, and  N'taru  in  the  finger.  Things  were  becoming  desperate. 
Putting  the  body  of  Dr.  Livingstone  and  all  their  goods  and  chat- 
tels in  one  hut,  they  charged  out  of  the  town,  and  fired  on  the  as- 
sailants, killing  two  and  wounding  several  others.  Fearing  that 
they  would  only  gather  together  in  the  other  remaining  villages 
and  renew  the  attack  at  night,  the  men  carried  these  quickly  one 
by  one,  and  subsequently  burned  six  others,  which  were  built  on 
the  same  side  of  the  river;  then  crossing  over,  they  fired  on  the 
canoes  which  were  speeding  toward  the  deep  water  of  Bangweolo, 
through  the  channel  of  the  Lopopussi,  with  disastrous  results  to 
the  fugitive  people. 

Keturning  to  the  town,  all  was  made  safe  for  the  night.  By 
the  fortunes  of  war,  sheep,  goats,  fowls,  and  an  immense  quanti- 
ty of  food  fell  into  their  hands,  and  they  remained  for  a  week  to 
recruit.  Once  or  twice  they  found  men  approaching  at  night  to 
throw  fire  on  the  roofs  of  the  huts  from  outside,  but,  with  this  ex- 
ception, they  were  not  interfered  with.  On  the  last  day  but  one, 
a  man  approached  and  called  to  them  at  the  top  of  his  voice  not 
to  set  fire  to  the  chief's  town  (it  was  his  that  they  occupied);  for 
the  bad  son  had  brought  all  this  upon  them ;  he  added  that  the 
old  man  had  been  overruled,  and  they  were  sorry  enough  for  his 
bad  conduct. 

Listening  to  the  account  given  of  this  occurrence,  one  can  not 
but  lament  the  loss  of  life,  and  the  whole  circumstances  of  the 
fight.  While,  on  the  one  hand,  we  may  imagine  that  the  loss 
of  a  cool,  conciliatory,  brave  leader  was  here  felt  in  a  grave  de- 
gree, we  must  Also  see  that  it  was  known  far  and  wide  that  this 
very  loss  was  now  a  great  weakness  to  his  followers.  There  is 
no  surer  sign  of  mischief  in  Africa  than  these  trumpery  charges 
of  bewitching  houses  by  placing  things  on  them  :  some  such  over- 
strained accusation  is  generally  set  in  the  front  rank  when  other 
difficulties  are  to  come  :  drunkenness  is  pretty  much  the  same 
thing  in  all  paj'ts  of  the  world,  and  gathers  misery  around  it  as 
easily  in  an  African  village  as  in  an  p]nglish  city.  Had  the  cor- 
tege submitted  to  extortion  and  insult,  they  felt  that  their  night 
by  the  river  would  have  been  a  })recarious  one,  even  if  they  had 
been  in  a  humor  to  sleep  in  a  swamp  when  a  town  was  at  hand. 
These  things  gave  occasion  to  them  to  resort  to  force.  The  des- 
perate nature  of  their  whole  enterprise  in  starting  for  Zanzibar 


STRAGGLERS  FELLIXG  TREES. 


529 


perhaps  had  accumulated  its  own  stock  of  determination,  and  now 
it  found  vent  under  evil  provocation.  If  there  is  room  for  an}- 
other  feeling  than  regret,  it  lies  in  the  fact  that,  on  mature  con- 
sideration and  in  sober  moments,  the  people  who  suffered  cast  the 
real  blame  on  the  ri2;ht  shoulders. 

For  the  next  three  days  after  leaving  Chawendd's,  they  were  still 
in  the  same  inundated  fringe  of  bouga  which  surrounds  the  Lake, 
and  on  each  occasion  had  to  camp  at  night-fall  wherever  a  rest- 
ing-place could  be  found  in  the  jungle,  reaching  Chama's  village 
on  the  fourth  day.  A  delay  of  forty-eight  hours  was  necessary, 
as  Susi's  wife  fell  ill ;  and  for  the  next  few  marches  she  was  car- 
ried in  a  kitanda.  They  met  an  Unyamwezi  man  here,  who  had 
come  from  Kumba-kumba's  town  in  the  Wa  Ussi  district.  lie 
related  to  them  how  on  two  occasions  the  Wanyamwezi  had  tried 
to  carry  Chawende's  town  by  assault,  but  had  been  repulsed  both 
times.  It  would  seem  that,  with  the  strong  footin2r  these  invaders 
have  in  the  country,  armed  as  they  are  besides  with  the  much- 
dreaded  guns,  it  can  only  be  a  matter  of  time  before  the  whole 
rule,  such  as  it  is,  passes  into  the  hands  of  the  new-comers. 

The  next  night  was  spent  in  the  open,  before  coming  to  the 
scattered  huts  of  Ngumbu'.s,  where  a  motley  group  of  stragglers, 
for  the  most  part  Wabisa,  were  busy  felling  the  trees  and  clear- 
ing the  land  for  cultivation.  However,  the  little  community  gave 
tliem  a  welcome,  in  spite  of  the  wide-spread  report  of  the  fight- 
ing at  Chawende's,  and  dancing  and  drumming  were  kept  up  till 
morning. 

One  more  night  was  passed  in  the  plain,  and  they  reached  a 
tributary  of  the  Lopopussi  River,  called  the  M'Pamba:  it  is  a 
considerable  stream,  and  takes  one  up  to  the  chest  in  crossing. 
They  now  drew  near  to  Chiwaie's  town,  which  they  describe  as  a 
very  strong  place,  fortified  with  a  stockade  and  ditch.  Shortly 
before  reaching  it  some  villagers  tried  to  pick  a  quarrel  with 
them  for  carrying  flags.  It  was  their  invariable  custom  to  make 
the  drummer-boy,  Majwara,  march  at  their  head,  while  the  union- 
jack  and  the  red  colors  of  Zanzibar  were  carried  in  a  foremost 
place  in  the  line.  Fortunately  a  chief  of  some  importance  came 
up  and  stopped  the  discussion,  or  there  might  have  been  more 
mischief,  for  the  men  were  in  no  temper  to  lower  their  flag,  know- 
ing their  own  i?trenglh  pretty  well  by  this  time.  Making  their 
settlement  close  to  Cliiwaie's,  they  met  with  much  kindness,  and 
were  visited  by  crowds  of  the  inhabitants. 

Three  days'  journey  brought  them  to  Chiwaie's  uncle's  vilhigo  ; 
sleeping  two  nights  in  the  jungle,  they  made  Chungu's,  and  in  an- 


530 


LiriNGSTOX^E'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


other  day's  march  found  themselves,  to  their  great  delight,  at  Ka- 
pesha's.  They  knew  their  road  from  this  point,  for  on  the  south- 
ern route  with  Dr.  Livingstone  they  had  stopped  here,  and  could 
therefore  take  up  the  path  that  leads  to  Tanganyika.  Hitherto 
their  course  had  been  easterly,  with  a  little  northing;  but  now 
they  turned  their  backs  to  the  Lake,  which  they  had  held  on  the 
right  hand  since  crossing  the  Luapula,  and  struck  almost  north. 

From  Kapesha's  to  Lake  Bangweolo  is  a  three  days'  march,  as 
the  crow  flies,  for  a  man  carrying  a  burden.  They  saw  a  large 
quantity  of  iron  and  copper  wire  being  made  here  by  a  party  of 
Unyamwezi.  The  process  is  as  follows:  A  heavy  piece  of  iron, 
with  a  funnel-shaped  hole  in  it,  is  firmly  fixed  in  the  fork  of  a 
tree.  A  fine  rod  is  then  thrust  into  it,  and  a  line  .attached  to  the 
first  few  inches  which  can  be  coaxed  through.  A  number  of 
men  haul  on  this  line,  singing  and  dancing  in  tune,  and  thus  it  is 
drawn  through  the  first  drill ;  it  is  subsequently  passed  through 
others  to  render  it  still  finer,  and  excellent  wire  is  the  result. 
Leaving  Kapesha,  they  went  through  many  of  the  villages  already 
enumerated  in  Dr.  Livingstone's  diary.  Chama's  people  came  to 
see  them  as  they  passed  by  him,  and,  after  some  mutterings  and 
growlings,  Kasonga  gave  them  leave  to  buy  food  at  his  town. 
Reaching  Chama's  head  -  quarters,  they  camped  outside,  and  re- 
ceived a  civil  message,  telling  them  to  convey  his  orders  to  the 
people  on  the  banks  of  the  Kalongwese,  that  the  travelers  must 
be  ferried  safely  across.  They  found  great  fear  and  misery  pre- 
vailing in  the  neighborhood,  from  the  constant  raids  made  by 
Kumba-kumba's  men. 

Leaving  the  Kalongwese  behind  them,  they  made  for  M'sama's 
son's  town,  meeting  four  men  on  the  way  who  were  going  from 
Kumba-kumba  to  Chama  to  beat  up  recruits  for  an  attack  on  the 
Katanga  people.  The  request  was  sure  to  be  met  with  alarm 
and  refusal,  but  it  served  very  well  to  act  the  part  taken  by  the 
wolf  in  the  fable.  A  grievance  would  immediately  be  made  of 
it,  and  Chama  "eaten  up"  in  due  course  for  daring  to  gainsay 
the  stronger  man.  Such  is  too  frequently  the  course  of  native 
oppression.  At  last  Kumba-kumba's  town  came  in  sight.  Al- 
ready the  large  district  of  Itawa  has  tacitly  allowed  itself  to  be 
put  under  the  harrow  by  this  ruffianly  Zanzibar  Arab.  Black- 
mail is  levied  in  all  directions,  and  the  petty  chiefs,  although 
really  under  tribute  to  Nsama,  are  sagacious  enough  to  keep  in 
with  the  powers  that  be.  Kumba-kumba  showed  the  men  a  store- 
house full  of  elephants' tusks.  A  small  detachment  was  sent  off 
to  try  and  gain  tidings  of  one  of  the  Nassick  boys,  John,  who  had 


GOOD  FRIENDS  BY  THE  WAT. 


531 


mysteriously  disappeared  a  day  or  two  previously  on  the  march. 
At  the  time  no  great  apprehensions  were  felt,  but  as  he  did  not 
turn  up,  the  grass  was  set  on  fire  in  order  that  he  might  see  the 
smoke  if  he  had  wandered,  and  guns  were  fired.  Some  thiiik  he 
purposely  went  off  rather  than  carry  a  load  any  farther;  while 
others  fear  he  may  have  been  killed.  Certain  it  is  that  after  a 
five  days'  search  in  all  directions  no  tidings  could  be  gained  either 
here  or  at  Chama's,  and  nothing  more  was  heard  of  the  poor  fellow. 

Numbers  of  slaves  were  collected  here.  On  one  occasion  they 
saw  five  gangs  bound  neck  to  neck  by  chains,  and  working  in 
the  gardens  outside  the  towns. 

The  talk  was  still  about  the  break-up  of  Casembe's  power,  for 
it  will  be  recollected  that  Kumba-kumba  and  Pemba-motu  had 
killed  him  a  short  time  before;  but  by  far  the  most  interesting- 
news  that  reached  them  was  that  a  party  of  Englishmen,  beaded 
by  Dr.  Livingstone's  son,  on  their  way  to  relieve  his  father,  had 
been  seen  at  Bagamoio  some  months  previously. 

The  chief  showed  them  every  kindness  during  their  five  days' 
rest,  and  tvas  most  anxious  that  no  mishap  should  by  any  chance 
occur  to  their  principal  charge.  He  warned  them  to  beware  of 
hyenas,  at  night  more  especially,  as  the  quarter  in  which  they 
had  camped  had  no  stockade  round  it  as  yet. 

Marching  was  now  much  easier,  and  the  men  quickly  found 
they  had  crossed  the  water-shed.  The  Lovu  ran  in  front  of  them 
on  its  way  to  Tanganyika.  The  Kalongwes(j,  we  have  seen,  flows 
to  Lake  Moero  in  the  opposite  direction.  More  to  their  purpose 
it  was,  perhaps,  to  find  the  terror  of  Kumba-kumba  dying  away 
as  they  traveled  in  a  north-easterly  direction,  and  came  among  the 
Mwambi.  As  yet  no  invasion  had  taken  place.  A  young  chief, 
Chungu,  did  all  he  could  for  them,  for  when  the  doctor  explored 
these  regions  before,  Chungu  had  been  mucli  impressed  with  him  : 
and  now,  throwing  off  all  the  native  superstition,  he  looked  on 
the  arrival  of  the  dead  body  as  a  cause  of  real  sorrow. 

Asoumani  had  some  luck  in  hunting,  and  a  fine  buffalo  was 
killed  near  the  town.  According  to  native  game  laws  (which  in 
some  respects  are  exceedingly  strict  in  Africa),  Chungu  had  a 
right  to  a  fore-leg  —  had  it  been  an  elephant,  the  tusk  ne.xt  the 
ground  would  have  been  liis,  past  all  doubt — in  this  in.stanco, 
however,  the  men  sent  in  a  plea  that  theirs  was  no  ordinary  case, 
and  that  hunger  had  laws  of  its  own  :  they  begged  to  be  allowed 
to  keep  the  whole  carcas.s,  and  Chungu  not  only  listened  to  their 
story,  but  willingly  waived  his  claim  to  tlic  chief's  share. 


532 


LIVIXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


It  is  to  be  hoped  that  these  sons  of  Tafuna,  the  head  and  father 
of  the  Aniambwi  a  lungu,  may  hold  their  own.  They  seem  a  su- 
perior race,  and  this  man  is  described  as  a  worthy  leader.  His 
brothers  Kasonso,  Chitimbwa,  Sombe,  and  their  sister  Mombo, 
are  all  notorious  for  their  reverence  for  Tafuna.  In  their  villages 
an  abundance  of  colored  home-spun  cloth  speaks  for  their  indus- 
try ;  while  from  the  numbers  of  dogs  and  elephant-spears  no  fur- 
ther testimony  is  needed  to  show  that  the  character  they  bear  as 
great  hunters  is  well  deserved. 

The  steep  descent  to  the  Lake  now  lay  before  them,  and  they 
came  to  Kasakalawe's.  Here  it  was  that  the  doctor  had  passed 
weary  months  of  illness  on  his  first  approach  to  Tanganyika  in 
previous  years.  The  village  contained  but  few  of  its  old  inhabit- 
ants, but  those  few  received  them  hospitably  enough,  and  mourn- 
ed the  loss  of  him  who  had  been  so  well  appreciated  when  alive. 
So  they  journeyed  on  day  by  day  till  the  southern  end  of  the 
Lake  was  rounded. 

The  previous  experience  of  the  difficult  route  along  the  heights 
bordering  on  Tanganyika  made  them  determine  to  give  the  Lake 
a  wide  berth  this  time,  and  for  this  purpose  they  held  well  to  the 
eastward,  passing  a  number  of  small  deserted  villages,  in  one  of 
which  they  camped  nearly  ever}'  night.  It  was  necessary  to  go 
through  the  Fipa  country,  but  they  learned  from  one  man  and 
another  that  the  chief,  Kafoofi,  was  very  anxious  that  the  body 
should  not  be  brought  near  to  his  town ;  indeed  a  guide  was  pur- 
posely thrown  in  their  way  who  led  them  past  it  by  a  consider- 
able detour.  Kafoofi  stands  well  with  the  coast  Arabs.  One, 
Ngombesassi  by  name,  was  at  the  time  living  with  him,  accom- 
panied by  his  retinue  of  slaves.  He  had  collected  a  very  large 
quantity  of  ivory  farther  in  the  interior,  but  dared  not  approach 
nearer  at  present  to  Unyanyemb(^  with  it,  to  risk  the  chance  of 
meeting  one  of  Mirambo's  hordes. 

This  road  across  the  plains  seems  incomparably  the  best.  No 
difficulty  whatever  was  experienced,  and  one  can  not  but  lament 
the  toil  and  weariness  which  Dr.  Livingstone  endured  while  hold- 
ing a  cour.se  close  to  Tanganyika;  although  one  must  bear  in 
mind  that  by  no  other  means  at  the  time  could  he  complete  his 
survey  of  this  great  inland  sen,  or  acquaint  us  with  its  harbors, 
its  bays,  and  the  rivers  which  find  their  way  into  it  on  the  ea.st. 
These  are  details  which  will  prove  of  value  when  small  vessels 
come  to  navigate  it  in  the  future. 

The  chief  feature  after  leaving  this  point  was  a  three  days" 
march  over  Lanibalainfipa,  an  abrupt  mountain  range,  which 


MEET  A  CABA  FAN. 


533 


crosses  the  country  east  and  west,  and  attains,  it  would  seem, 
an  altitude  of  some  four  thousand  feet.  Looking  down  on  the 
plain  from  its  highest  passes  a  vast  lake  appears  to  stretch  away 
in  front  toward  the  north,  but  on  descending  this  resolves  itself 
into  a  glittering  plain,  for  the"  most  part  covered  with  saline  in- 
crustations. The  path  lay  directly  across  this.  The  difficulties 
they  anticipated  had  no  real  existence,  for  small  villages  were 
found,  and  water  was  not  scarce,  although  brackish.  The  first 
demand  for  toll  was  made  near  here,  but  the  head  man  allowed 
them  to  pass  for  fourteen  strings  of  beads.  Susi  says  that  this 
plain  literally  swarms  with  herds  of  game  of  all  kinds:  giraffe 
and  zebra  were  particularly  abundant,  and  lions  reveled  in  such 
good  quarters.  The  settlements  they  came  to  belonged  chiefly 
to  elephant  hunters.  Farijala  and  Muanuasere  did  well  with  the 
buffalo,  and  plenty  of  beef  came  into  camp. 

They  gained  some  particulars  concerning  a  salt-water  lake  on 
their  right,  at  no  very  considerable  distance.  It  was  reported  to 
them  to  be  smaller  than  Tanganyika,  and  goes  by  the  name  Ba- 
hari  ya  Muarooli — the  sea  of  Muarooli — for  such  is  the  name  of 
the  paramount  chief  who  lives  on  its  shore,  and,  if  we  mistake 
not,  the  very  Merere,  or  his  successor,  about  whom  Dr.  Living- 
stone from  time  to  time  showed  such  interest.  They  now  ap- 
proached the  Likwa  River,  which  flows  to  this  inland  sea:  they 
describe  it  as  a  stream  running  breast-hi2;h,  with  brackish  water: 
little  satisfaction  was  got  by  drinking  from  it. 

Just  as  they  came  to  the  Likwa,  a  long  string  of  men  was  seen 
on  the  opposite  side  filing  down  to  the  water,  and  being  uncer- 
tain of  their  intentions,  precautions  were  quickly  taken  to  insure 
the  safety  of  the  baggage.  Dividing  themselves  into  three  par- 
ties, the  first  detachment  went  across  to  meet  the  strangers,  car- 
rying tlie  Arab  flag  in  front.  Cliuma  headed  another  band  at  a 
little  distance  in  the  rear  of  these,  while  Susi  and  a  few  more 
crouched  in  the  jungle,  with  the  body  concealed  in  a  rougiily- 
Miade  hut.  Their  fears,  howcvci-,  were  needless:  it  turned  out  to 
be  a  caravan  bound  for  Fi[>a  to  hunt  elepliants  and  buy  ivory 
and  slaves.  The  new  arrivals  told  them  that  they  had  come 
straight  through  Unyanycmbo  from  Bagamoio,  on  the  coast,  and 
that  the  doctor's  death  had  already  been  reported  there  by  na- 
tives of  Fipa. 

As  we  notice  with  what  rapidity  the  evil  tidings  spread  (for 
the  men  found  that  it  had  preceded  tlicrn  in  all  directions),  one 
of  the  great  anxieties  connected  witli  African  travel  and  e.Nplora- 
lion  seems  to  be  rather  increased  llian  diminished.    It  shows  us 


534 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


that  it  is  never  wise  to  turn  an  entirely  deaf  ear  when  the  report 
of  a  disaster  comes  to  hand,  because  in  this  instance  the  main 
facts  were  conve^-ed  across  country,  striking  the  great  arterial 
caravan  route  at  Unyanyembe,  and  getting  at  once  into  a  chan- 
nel that  would  insure  the  intelligence  reaching  Zanzibar.  On 
the  other  hand,  false  reports  never  lag  on  their  journey :  how 
often  has  Livingstone  been  killed  in  former  years!  Nor  is  one's 
perplexity  lessened  by  past  experience,  for  we  find  the  oldest  and 
most  sagacious  travelers,  when  consulted,  rule,  no  more 

to  be  depended  on  than  the  merest  tyro  in  guessing. 

With  no  small  satisfaction  the  men  learned  from  the  outward- 
bound  caravan  that  the  previous  story  was  a  true  one,  and  they 
were  assured  that  Dr.  Livingstone's  son,  with  two  Englishmen 
and  a  quantity  of  goods,  had  already  reached  Unyanyembe. 

The  country  here  showed  all  the  appearance  of  a  salt-pan :  in- 
deed a  quantity  of  very  good  salt  was  collected  by  one  of  the 
men,  who  thought  he  could  turn  an  honest  bunch  of  beads  with 
it  at  Unyanyembe. 

Petty  tolls  were  levied  on  them.  Kampama's  deputy  required 
four  dotis,  and  an  additional  tax  of  six  was  paid  to  the  chief  of 
the  Kanongo  when  his  town  was  reached. 

The  Lungwa  River  bowls  away  here  toward  Tanganyika.  It 
is  a  quick,  tumbling  stream,  leaping  among  the  rocks  and  boul- 
ders, and  in  its  deeper  pools  it  affords  cool  delight  to  schools 
of  hippopotami.  The  men,  who  bad  hardly  tasted  good  water 
since  crossing  Lambalamfipa,  are  loud  in  its  praise.  Muanuasere 
improved  relations  with  the  people  at  the  next  town  by  oppor- 
tunely killing  another  buffalo,  and  all  took  a  three  days'  rest. 
Yet  anotlier  caravan  met  them,  bound  likewise  for  the  interior, 
and  adding  further  particulars  about  the  Englishmen  at  Unyan- 
yembe. This  quickened  the  pace  till  they  found  at  one  stage  they 
were  melting  two  days  of  the  previous  outward  journey  into  one. 

Arriving  at  Baula,  Jacob  Wainwright,  the  scribe  of  the  party, 
was  commissioned  to  write  an  account  of  the  distressing  circum- 
stances of  the  doctor's  death,  and  Chuma,  taking  three  men  with 
him,  pressed  on  to  deliver  it  to  the  English  party  in  person. 
The  rest  of  the  cortege  followed  them  through  the  jungle  to  Chi- 
lunda's  village.  On  the  outskirts  they  came  across  a  number  of 
Wagogo  hunting  elephants  with  dogs  and  spears;  but  although 
they  were  well  treated  by  them,  and  received  presents  of  honey 
and  food,  they  thought  it  better  to  keep  these  men  in  ignorance 
of  the  fact  that  they  were  in  charge  of  the  dead  body  of  their 
master. 


THE  TASK  NEARLY  COMPLETED. 


535 


The  Manyara  River  was  crossed,  on  its  way  to  Tanganyika, 
before  they  got  to  Chikooloo.  Leaving  this  village  behind  them, 
they  advanced  to  the  Uganda  district,  now  ruled  by  Kaliman- 
gombi,  the  son  of  Mbercke,  the  former  chief,  and  so  on  to  Kase- 
kera,  which,  it  will  be  remembered,  is  not  far  from  Unyanyembe. 

We  will  here  run  on  ahead  with  Chuma,  on  his  way  to  com- 
municate with  the  new  arrivals.  He  reached  the  Arab  settle- 
ment without  let  or  hinderance.  Lieutenant  Cameron  was  quick- 
ly put  in  possession  of  the  main  facts  of  Dr.  Livingstone's  death 
by  reading  Jacob's  letter,  and  Chuma  was  questioned  concerning 
it  in  the  presence  of  Dr.  Dillon  and  Lieutenant  Murphy.  It  was 
a  disappointment  to  find  that  the  reported  arrival  of  Mr.  Oswell 
Livingstone  was  entirely  erroneous;  but  Lieutenant  Cameron 
showed  the  wayworn  men  every  kindness.  Chuma  rested  one 
day  before  setting  out  to  relieve  his  comrades,  to  whom  he  had 
arranged  to  make  his  way  as  soon  as  possible.  Lieutenant  Cam- 
eron expressed  a  fear  that  it  would  not  be  safe  for  him  to  carry 
the  cloth  he  was  willing  to  furnish  them  with,  if  he  had  not  a 
stronger  convoy,  as  he  himself  had  suffered  too  sorely  from  ter- 
rified bearers  on  his  way  thither ;  but  the  young  fellows  were 
pretty  well  acquainted  with  native  marauders  by  this  time,  and 
set  off  without  apprehension. 

And  now  the  greater  part  of  their  task  is  over.  The  weather- 
beaten  company  wind  their  way  into  the  old  well-known  settle- 
ment of  Kwihara.  A  host  of  Arabs  and  their  attendant  slaves 
meet  them,  as  they  sorrowfully  take  their  charge  to  the  same 
tembd  in  which  the  "weary  waiting"  was  endured  before,  and 
then  they  submit  to  the  systematic  questioning  which  the  na- 
tive traveler  is  so  well  able  to  sustain. 

News  in  abundance  was  offered  in  return.  The  porters  of  the 
Livingstone  East -Coast  Aid  Expedition  had  plenty  to  relate  to 
the  porters  sent  by  Mr.  Stanley.  Mirambo's  war  dragged  on  its 
length,  and  matters  had  changed  very  little  since  they  were  there 
before,  either  for  better  or  for  worse.  They  found  the  English 
officers  extremely  short  of  goods ;  but  Lieutenant  Cameron,  no 
doubt  with  the  object  of  his  expedition  full  in  view,  very  prop- 
erly felt  it  a  first  duty  to  relieve  the  wants  of  the  party  that  had 
performed  this  herculean  feat  of  bringing  tlie  body  of  the  traveler 
he  had  been  sent  to  relieve,  together  with  every  article  belong- 
ing to  him  at  the  time  of  his  death,  as  far  as  this  main  road  to 
the  coast. 

Li  talking  to  the  men  about  their  intention.'!,  Lieutenant  Cam- 
eron had  serious  doubts  whether  the  risk  of  taking  the  body  of 


636  -         LinXGSTOXE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


Dr.  Livingstone  through  the  Ugogo  country  ought  to  be  run.  It 
very  naturally  occurred  to  him  that  Dr.  Livingstone  might  have 
felt  a  wish  during  life  to  be  buried  in  the  same  land  in  which  the 
remains  of  his  wife  lay,  for  it  will  be  remembered  that  the  grave 
of  Mrs.  Livingstone  is  at  Shupanga,  on  the  Zambesi.  All  this 
was  put  before  the  men ;  but  they  steadily  adhered  to  their  first 
conviction,  that  it  was  right  at  all  risks  to  attempt  to  bear  their 
master  home,  and  therefore  they  were  no  longer  urged  to  bury 
him  at  Kwihara. 

To  the  new-comers  it  was  of  great  interest  to  examine  the  boxes 
which  the  men  had  conveyed  from  Bangweolo.  As  we  have  seen, 
they  had  carefully  packed  up  every  thing  at  Chitambo's — books, 
instruments,  clothes,  and  all  which  would  bear  special  interest  in 
time  to  come,  from  having  been  associated  with  Livingstone  in  his 
last  hours. 

It  can  not  be  conceded  for  a  moment  that  these  poor  fellows 
would  have  been  right  in  forbidding  this  examination,  when  we 
consider  the  relative  position  in  which  natives  and  English  offi- 
cers must  always  stand  to  each  other ;  but  it  is  a  source  of  regret 
to  relate  that  the  chief  part  of  Livingstone's  instruments  were 
taken  out  of  the  packages  and  appropriated  for  future  purposes. 
The  instruments  with  wTaich  all  his  observations  had  been  made 
throughout  a  series. of  discoveries  extending  over  seven  years — 
aneroid  barometers,  compasses,  thermometers,  the  sextant,  and 
other  things — have  gone  on  a  new  series  of  travels,  to  incur  in- 
numerable risks  of  loss,  while  one  only  of  his  thermometers  comes 
to  hand. 

We  could  well  have  wished  these  instruments  safe  in  England 
with  the  small  remnant  of  Livingstone's  personal  property,  which 
was  allowed  to  be  shipped  from  Zanzibar. 

The  doctor  had  deposited  four  bales  of  cloth  as  a  reserve  stock 
with  the  Arabs,  and  these  were  immediately  forthcoming  for  the 
march  down. 

The  termination  here  of  the  ill-fated  expedition  need  not  be 
commented  upon.  One  can  only  trust  that  Lieutenant  Cameron 
may  be  at  liberty  to  pursue  his  separate  investigations  in  the  in- 
terior under  more  favorable  auspices.  The  men  seemed  to  an- 
ticipate his  success,  for  he  is  generous  and  brave  in  the  presence 
of  tlic  natives,  and  likely  to  win  his  way  where  others  undoubted- 
ly would  have  failed. 

Ill  health  had  stuck  persistently  to  the  pixrtv,  and  all  the  offi- 
cers were  suffierino;  from  the  various  forms  of  fever.  Lieutenant 
Cameron  gave  the  men  to  understand  that  it  was  agreed  Lieutcn- 


CLEVER  STRATAGEM. 


537 


ant  Murphy  should  return  to  Zanzibar,  and  asked  if  they  could 
attach  his  party  to  their  march ;  if  so,  the  men  who  acted  as  car- 
riers should  receive  six  dollars  a  man  for  their  services.  This 
was  agreed  to.  Susi  had  arranged  that  they  should  avoid  the 
main  path  of  the  Wagogo;  inasmuch  as,  if  difBculty  was  to  be 
encountered  anywhere,  it  would  arise  among  these  lawless,  pug- 
nacious people. 

By  making  a  ten  days'  detour  at  "  Jua  Singa,"  and  traveling 
by  a  path  well  known  to  one  of  their  party,  through  the  jungle 
of  Poli  ya  vengi,  they  hoped  to  keep  out  of  harm's  way,  and  to 
be  able  to  make  the  cloth  hold  out  with  which  they  were  sup- 
plied. At  length  the  start  was  effected,  and  Dr.  Dillon  likewise 
quitted  the  expedition,  to  return  to  the  coast.  It  was  necessary 
to  stop,  after  the  first  days'  march,  for  a  long  halt ;  for  tine  of  the 
women  was  unable  to  travel,  they  found,  and  progress  was  de- 
layed till  she,  the  wife  of  Chowpereh,  could  resume  the  journey. 
There  seem  to  have  been  some  serious  misunderstandings  between 
the  leaders  of  Dr.  Livingstone's  party  and  Lieutenant  Murphy 
soon  after  setting  out,  which  turned  mainly  on  the  subject  of 
beginning  the  day's  march.  The  former,  trained  in  the  old  disci- 
pline of  their  master,  laid  stress  on  the  necessity  of  very  early 
rising,  to  avoid  the  heat  of  the  da}',  and  perhaps  pointed  out  more 
bluntly  than  pleasantly,  that  if  the  Englishmen  wanted  to  improve 
their  health,  they  had  better  do  so  too.  However,  to  a  certain 
extent,  this  was  avoided  by  the  two  companies  pleasing  them- 
selves. 

Making  an  early  start,  the  body  was  carried  to  Kasekcra  by 
Susi's  party,  where,  from  an  evident  disinclination  to  receive  it 
into  the  village,  an  encampment  was  made  outside.  A  consulta- 
tion now  became  necessary.  There  was  no  disguising  the  fact 
that  if  they  kept  along  the  main  road  intelligence  would  precede 
them  concerning  that  in  which  they  were  engaged,  stirring  up 
certain  hostility,  and  jeopardizing  the  most  precious  charge  they 
had.  A  [)]an  was  quickly  hit  upon.  Unobserved,  the  men  re- 
moved the  corpse  of  the  deceased  explorer  from  the  package  in 
which  it  had  hitlierto  been  conveyed,  and  buried  the  bark  case 
in  the  hut  in  tlic  thicket  around  the  village  in  wliicli  they  had 
placed  it.  The  object  now  was  to  throw  the  villager  off  their 
guard,  by  making  believe  that  they  had  relinquished  the  attempt 
to  carry  the  body  to  Zanzibar.  They  feigned  that  they  had  aban- 
doned their  task,  having  changed  their  minds,  and  that  it  must 
be  sent  back  to  Unyanycmbc,  to  be  buried  there.  In  the  moan 
time  the  corpse  of  necessity  had  to  be  concealed  in  the  smallest 

37 


538 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


space  possible,  if  they  were  actually  to  convey  it  secretly  for  the 
future :  this  was  quickly  managed. 

Susi  and  Chuma  went  into  the  wood  and  stripped  off  a  fresh 
length  of  bark  from  an  n"gombe-tree ;  in  this  the  remains,  con- 
veniently prepared  as  to  length,  were  placed,  the  whole  being  sur- 
rounded with  calico  in  such  a  manner  as  to  appear  like  an  or- 
dinary traveling  bale,  which  was  then  deposited  with  the  rest  of 
the  goods.  They  next  proceeded  to  gather  a  fagot  of  mapira- 
stalks,  cutting  them  in  lengths  of  six  feet  or  so,  and  swathing 
them  round  with  cloth,  to  imitate  a  dead  body  about  to  be  bur- 
ied. This  done,  a  paper,  folded  so  as  to  represent  a  letter,  was 
duly  placed  in  a  cleft  stick,  according  to  the  native  letter-carrier's 
custom,  and  six  trustworthy  men  were  told  off  ostensibly  to  go 
with  the  corpse  to  Unyanyembe.  With  due  solemnity  the  men 
set  out.  The  villagers  were  only  too  thankful  to  see  it,  and  no  one 
suspected  the  ruse.  It  was  near  sundown.  The  bearers  of  the 
package  held  on  their  way  till  fairly  beyond  all  chance  of  detec- 
tion, and  then  began  to  dispose  of  their  load.  The  mapira-sticks 
were  thrown,  one  by  one,  far  away  into  the  jungle,  and  when  all 
were  disposed  of,  the  wrappings  were  cunningly  got  rid  of  in  the 
same  way.  Going  farther  on,  first  one  man,  and  then  another 
sprung  clear  from  the  path  into  the  long  grass,  to  leave  no  trace 
of  footsteps,  and  the  whole  party  returned  by  different  ways  to 
their  companions,  who  had  been  anxiously  awaiting  them  during 
the  night.  No  one  could  detect  the  real  nature  of  the  ordinary- 
looking  bale,  which  henceforth  was  guarded  with  no  relaxed  vig- 
ilance, and  eventually  disclosed  the  bark  coffin  and  wrappings 
containing  Dr.  Livingstone's  body,  on  the  arrival  at  Bagamoio. 
And  now,  devoid  o(  fear,  the  people  of  Kasekera  asked  them  all 
to  come  and  take  up  their  quarters  in  the  town — a  privilege 
which  was  denied  them  so  long  as  it  was  known  that  they  had 
the  remains  of  the  dead  with  them. 

But  a  dreadful  event  was  about  to  recall  to  their  minds  how 
many  fall  victims  to  African  disease. 

Dr.  Dillon  now  came  on  to  Kasekdra,  suffering  much  from 
dysentery  :  a  few  hours  more,  and  he  shot  himself  in  his  tent  by 
means  of  a  loaded  rifle. 

Those  who  knew  the  brave  and  generous  spirit  in  which  this 
hard-working  volunteer  set  out  with  Lieutenant  Cameron,  fully 
hoping  to  relieve  Dr.  Livingstone,  will  feel  that  he  ended  his  life 
by  an  act  alien  indeed  to  his  whole  nature.  The  malaria  imbibed 
daring  their  stay  at  L^nyanyembc  laid  upon  liim  the  severest  form 
of  fever,  accompanied  by  delirium,  under  which  he  at  length  sue- 


FATAL  SNAKE-BITE. 


539 


cumbed  in  one  of  its  violent  paroxysms.  His  remains  are  in- 
terred at  Kasakera. 

We  must  follow  Susi's  troop  through  a  not  altogether  event- 
less journey  to  the  sea.  Some  days  afterward,  as  they  wended 
their  way  through  a  rocky  place,  a  little  girl  in  their  train,  named 
Losi,  met  her  death  in  a  shocking  way.  It  appears  that  the  poor 
child  was  carrying  a  water-jar  on  her  head  in  the  file  of  people, 
when  an  enormous  snake  dashed  across  the  path,  deliberately 
struck  her  in  the  thigh,  and  made  for  a  hole  in  the  jungle  close 
at  hand.  This  work  of  a  moment  was  sufficient,  for  the  poor  girl 
fell  mortally  wounded.  She  was  carried  forward,  and  all  means 
at  hand  were  applied,  but  in  less  than  ten  minutes  the  last  symp- 
tom (foaming  at  the  mouth)  set  in,  and  she  ceased  to  breathe. 

Here  is  a  well-authenticated  instance  which  goes  far  to  prove 
the  truth  of  an  assertion  made  to  travelers  in  many  parts  of  Af- 
rica. The  natives  protest  that  one  species  of  snake  will  deliber- 
ately chase  and  overtake  his  victim  with  lightning  speed,  and  so 
dreadfully  dangerous  is  it,  both  from  the  activity  of  its  poison 
and  its  vicious  propensities,  that  it  is  perilous  to  approach  its 
quarters.  Most  singular  to  relate,  an  Arab  came  to  some  of  the 
men  after  their  arrival  at  Zanzibar  and  told  them  that  he  bad 
just  come  by  the  Unyanyembd  road,  and  that,  while  passing  the 
identical  spot  where  this  disaster  occurred,  one  of  the  men  was 
attacked  by  the  same  snake,  with  precisely  the  same  results ;  in 
fact,  when  looking  for  a  place  in  which  to  bury  him  they  saw  the 
grave  of  Losi,  and  the  two  lie  side  by  side. 

Natal  colonists  will  probably  recognize  the  mamba  in  this 
snake:  it  is  much  to  be  desired  that  specimens  should  be  pro- 
cured for  purposes  of  comparison.  In  Southern  Africa  so  great 
is  the  dread  it  inspires  that  the  Kaffirs  will  break  up  a  kraal  and 
forsake  the  place,  if  a  mamba  takes  up  his  quarters  in  the  vicin- 
ity, and,  from  what  we  have  seen  above,  with  no  undue  caution. 

Susi,  to  wliom  this  snake  is  known  in  the  Shupanga  tongue  as 
"  bubu,"  describes  it  as  about  twelve  feet  long,  dark  in  color,  of  u 
tlirty  blue  under  the  belly,  with  red  markings,  like  the  wattles  of 
a  cock,  on  the  head.  The  Arabs  go  so  far  as  to  say  that  it  is 
known  to  oppose  the  passage  of  a  caravan  at  times.  Twisting 
its  tail  round  a  branch,  it  will  strike  one  man  after  another  in  the 
head  with  fatal  certainty.  Their  remedy  is  to  fill  a  pot  with  boil- 
ing water,  which  is  put  on  the  head  and  carried  under  the  tree. 
The  snake  dashes  his  head  into  this,  and  is  killed:  the  story  is 
given  for  what  it  is  worth. 

It  would  seem  that  at  Ujiji  the  natives,  as  in  other  places,  can 


540 


LIVINGSTONE'S  LAST  JOURNALS. 


not  bear  to  have  snakes  killed.  The  "  chatu,"  a  species  of  python, 
is  common,  and,*from  being  highly  favored,  becomes  so  tame  as  to 
enter  houses  at  night  A  little  meal  is  placed  on  the  stool,  which 
the  uncanny  visitor  laps  up,  and  then  takes  its  dejjarture :  the 
men  significantly  say  they  never  saw  it  with  their  own  eyes. 
Another  species  utters  a  cry,  much  like  the  crowing  of  a  young 
cock ;  this  is  well  authenticated.  Yet  another  black  variety  has 
a  spine  like  a  black-thorn  at  tht  end  of  the  tail,  and  its  bite  is  ex- 
tremely deadly. 

At  the  same  time  it  must  be  added  that,  considering  the  enor- 
mous number  of  reptiles  in  Africa,  it  rarely  occurs  that  any  one 
is  bitten,  and  a  few  months'  residence  sufl&ces  to  dispel  the  dread 
which  most  travelers  feel  at  the  outset. 

No  further  incident  occurred  worthy  of  special  notice.  At 
last  the  coast-town  of  Bagamoio  came  in  sight,  and  before  many 
hours  were  over,  one  of  her  majesty's  cruisers  conveyed  the  act- 
ing consul,  Captain  Prideaux,  from  Zanzibar  to  the  spot  which 
the  cortdge  had  reached.  Arrangements  were  quickly  made  for 
transporting  the  remains  of  Dr.  Livingstone  to  the  island,  some 
thirty  miles  distant,  and  then  it  became  perhaps  rather  too  pain- 
fully plain  to  the  men  that  their  task  was  finished. 

One  word  on  a  subject  which  will  commend  itself  to  most  be- 
fore we  close  this  long,  eventful  history. 

We  saw  what  a  train  of  Indian  sepoys,  Johanna  men,  Nassick 
boys,  and  Shupanga  canoe -men  accompanied  Dr.  Livingstone 
when  he  started  from  Zanzibar  in  1866  to  enter  upon  his  last 
discoveries:  of  all  these,  five  only  could  answer  to  the  roll-call 
as  they  handed  over  the  dead  body  of  their  leader  to  his  country- 
men on  the  shore  whither  they  had  returned,  and  this  after  eight 
years'  desperate  service. 

Once  more  we  repeat  the  names  of  these  men.  Susi  and  James 
Chuma  have  been  sufficiently  prominent  throughout — hardly  so, 
perhaps,  has  Amoda,  their  comrade  ever  since  th.e  Zambesi  days 
of  1864 :  then  we  have  Abram  and  IMabruki,  each  with  service 
to  show  from  the  time  he  left  the  Nassick  College  with  the  doc- 
tor in  1865.  Nor  must  we  forget  Ntoaeka  and  llalima,  the  two 
native  girls  of  whom  we  have  heard  such  a  good  character:  they 
cast  in  their  lot  with  the  wanderers  in  Manyuema.  It  does  seem 
strange  to  hear  the  men  say  that  no  sooner  did  they  arrive  at 
their  journey's  end  than  they  were  so  far  frowned  out  of  notice, 
that  not  so  much  as  a  passage  to  the  island  was  offered  them 
when  their  burden  was  borne  away.  Wc  must  hope  that  it  is 
not  too  late — even  for  the  sake  of  consistency — to  put  it  on  rec- 


CONCLUSION. 


541 


ord  that  whoever  assisted  Livingstone,  whether  white  or  black,  has 
not  been  overlooked  in  England.  Surely  those  with  whom  he 
spent  his  last  years  must  not  pass  away  into  Africa  again  unre- 
warded, and  lost  to  sight. 

Yes,  a  very  great  deal  is  owing  to  these  five  men,  and  we  say 
it  emphatically.  If  the  nation  has  gratified  a  reasonable  wish  in 
learning  all  that  concerns  the  last  days  on  earth  of  a  truly  noble 
countryman  and  his  wonderful  enterprise,  the  means  of  doing  so 
could  never  have  been  placed  at  our  disposal  but  for  the  ready 
willingness  which  made  Susi  and  Chuma  determine,  if  possible, 
to  render  an  account  to  some  of  those  whom  they  had  known  as 
their  master's  old  companions.  If  the  geographer  finds  before 
him  new  facts,  new  discoveries,  new  theories,  as  Livingstone  alone 
could  record  them,  it  is  right  and  proper  that  he  should  feel  the 
part  these  men  have  played  in  furnishing  him  with  such  valu- 
able matter.  For  we  repeat  that  nothing  but  such  leadership 
and  staunchness  as  that  which  organized  the  march  home  from 
Ilala,  and  distinguished  it  throughout,  could  have  brought  Liv- 
ingstone's bones  to  our  land,  or  his  last  notes  and  maps  to  the 
outer  world.  To  none  does  the  feat  seem  so  marvelous  as  to 
those  who  know  Africa,  and  the  difficulties  which  must  have  be- 
set both  the  first  and  the  last  in  the  enterprise.  Thus  in  his 
death,  not  less  than  in  his  life,  David  Livingstone  bore  testimony 
to  that  good-will  and  kindliness  which  exists  in  the  heart  of  the 
African. 


THE  END. 


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